A Demon Among Reapers
by Sdebeli
Summary: In the final battle against Madara, Naruto is once more dealt a bad hand in life. How will his life go on when he winds up in Karakura Town? Pairings undecided as of yet.
1. Somewhere Inbetween

**Author's Ramblings and story preface:**

Well, this is one of the crazy ideas that have been invading my mind for awhile now, and I seriously need a brake from the pure Narutoverse, though I do find this one entertaining.

So, here's the idea. During a particularly nasty fight with a certain Uchiha geezer, Naruto gets dealt the shity hand in life yet again. Three things happen. First, Kyuubi mysteriously vanishes, turning Naruto into a full demon in the process. Second, Madara's Kamui breaks the walls between worlds, thrusting Naruto out of the Naruto world into the Bleach world before he gets destroyed by the rift. Third, he unfortunately appears, severely weakened (read with wounds that hath killed lesser men ), near Karakura town, where he gets picked up by Ishin Kurosaki.

My question was the standard 'What if?' with a Naruto thrust into the story.

Now here are the other premises. Naruto will NOT be a shinigami, but rather remain a demonic humanoid throughout the story. Why? Because it makes things more fun. Also, this will NOT be a harem story for any character, and Ichigo and Naruto will both be equally important characters for the story. Anther detail is that since Naruto doesn't use Reiatsu like the hollows and shinigami, he's next to undetectable to them, unless he starts venting his killing intent and chakra, or they are right next to him... which kinda defeats the purpose. The point being that they can detect it, but are simply not trained to, as the physical component of chakra messes with their detection.

A final premise is that the Naruto I'm using is the Naruto from my 'Determination' story, but from a far later point as a base. It's not necessary to read it, but it will make it somewhat easier to understand his way of thinking and other stuff. I will be posting a full file on Naruto in a few chapters, so for now there will only be short explanations of some of his skills.

Ah, one more detail. While there will be romance for Naruto, at this point and for a while more there won't be anything further than flirting for him for reasons that will be explained soon.

For the record, the storyline begins two days before the Bleach storyline starts. So a day after Naruto recovers and reaches Karakura is the day before Ichigo meets Rukia

**Disclaimer : I don't own either Bleach or Naruto. I only own the original ideas presented here**

* * *

_A Demon among Reapers_

_A Naruto/Bleach Crossover story_

_Chapter 1 : Somewhere inbetween  
_

Isshin Kurosaki was not a man easily surprised. A veteran Soul Reaper, and former captain of his own squad, he had centuries of experience dealing with the various downright bizarre events around Soul Society. The man was seemingly in his late thirties or early forties, depending on who you would ask, with coal black hair, a short scraggy beard, and a crazy grin that was more fit on a lunatic than a respected physician. Not that he really cared.

Still, the sight before him wasn't something you saw every day.

_(An hour ago)_

The quiet rumble of a car hummed along the empty street. The vehicle was something you expected in a black and white movie, a rusted old relic from the sixties, but it still worked remarkably well, despite it's age. The red color that once glistened was peeling off, but the metal beneath was in pristine condition regardless.

The driver was apparently no younger than the car, a grizzled old war veteran from World War II, gray haired and scarred on many places, but still virile despite his old age. His companion was the seemingly younger doctor, and old friend Isshin Kurosaki. The reason for this sudden situation in seven in the morning was a curious one indeed, as he explained to the man.

"And there he was, with wounds that killed men twice as big, just lying there unconscious and bleeding", the older man, Mizaku Kataro explained "It's weird I tell ya, but still, I couldn't just leave him there lyin' like that, you know?"

Isshin merely smiled at Kataro's antics. For all his gruffness, the old man had a heart of gold, and his old wife was no better. Whoever the young man was, he was indeed lucky to have reached them instead of someone else.

The ride wasn't a long one, though Karakura was a part of Tokyo, it was along the edge of the prefecture, and near to one of the few wild areas, where a few farms still survived. One such piece of land belonged to the Mizaku family, or at least to it's two members who stayed there, as the younger generation had long since moved to the big city. The homestead was built in the traditional Japanese style of old, a small fortified house, with a blue shingled roof and a small shrine next to it. The car parked just outside, and the two men entered the house, greeted by Kataro's wife Alexandra, an US emigrant from the times after the war. The old woman took to Japan like a fish to water, especially since she was half-Japanese anyway.

"Kurosaki-san, good to see you again" she greeted "I hope Kataro-kun hasn't been annoying you too much with his war stories" she near-cheerfully asked, while Kataro simply laughed at his wife's worries.

"He's a good sport, right Isshin?"

"Right... now where's that patient of yours. I have a few others waiting back home"

The smile on the old housewife immediately weakened a bit, and she quietly guided him over to the guest room, where a young man, seventeen at most was lying on his back. Isshin took his time to take a look at him, noting the spiky blond hair, and unblemished face. Unlike the face, the rest of the body was covered in a multitude of scars, barely visible under the bandages which covered some of the most visible wounds. With Kataro's help, he removed some of the bandages revealing a sight that made him nearly choke. The torso was covered with a combination of tattoos and certainly lethal wounds that seemed to have healed up just a bit. Most of them actually stopped bleeding, a few obvious ones still remaining. The arms and legs were no better, equally crisscrossed by scars and wounds, along with another set of strange tattoos. Lifting him revealed a wound that had essentially gone through his heart and lungs, along with severing his spine. The body was of lean build, ideal for a combination of speed and strength. If he had to guess, the young man would easily fit the shinobi of his time by all accounts, except for the amount of battle he had obviously seen.

By all accounts, this man was clinically dead... except that apparently he didn't get the memo. But that wasn't what worried the veteran doctor. No, what worried him that most of these were _sword_ wounds, accompanied by a plethora of burns from both fire an acid, signs of frostbite, electric shock, poison, blunt trauma... pretty much every single type of damage you could imagine hitting a body. And those were only the fresh ones. A number of old scars were visible beneath, some of them he was sure would be lethal. After all, one does not easily survive being stabbed though one of the parts that he knew as 'fatal spots', a detail that he picked up during his military training while he was still alive a long time ago.

To sum it up, the boy in front of him had sufficient combat scars for an army... and was still alive.

But that's not where the weird parts finished. His breathing was unnaturally calm and slow, like he was in hibernation, along with a slow pulse, but at the same time, the wounds were slowly but surely patching up, there were no signs of an infection anywhere... Also, the man had no spiritual presence, but up this close, he could feel something else, something that he was utterly unfamiliar with.

"How was he when you found him?"

"Ehm... that's the strange part. He actually dragged himself from our field to the door, barely alive and breathing. He managed a few knocks and lost consciousness. If Alexandra here wasn't taking a last look over the chickens, she wouldn't have found him." Kataro commented in a sad voice. He seemed to be sorry for the lad. If anything, as one warrior to another he respected him. Isshin himself wasn't feeling much differently.

"The poor boy was still bleeding when I found him.." Alexandra started, but stopped as a loud groan was heard from the body.

Another groan came soon after as his eyes opened, revealing two calm amethyst spheres that looked up into the ceiling.

"Where am I?" he slowly asked, groaning out the words through the pain he felt everywhere.

"Right outside of Tokyo, Japan" Isshin calmly offered. He had a very strange feeling about him, and he calmly decided that he needed the advice and wisdom of two or three others who would be able to help.

"Tokyo? Japan?" he asked in a confused voice, trying to move "Crap" he added as a surge of pain went through his body, before he forced his body to sit up in a upright position, ignoring the protests of all three present, and staying silent for a moment.

"Thanks" he added quietly, meeting a slightly confused silence "for helping me out, I was sure I was going to die. If there's anything I can do..."

The offer was met with a kind smile from both the old woman and the old man, something that deeply surprised him. He took a cursory look at his wounds, then nodded with a small grin. He could work with this. Still, no need to worry his saviors, regardless of his current spatial predicament. The moment he had stirred, his deeply ingrained instincts made a quick Friend-or-Foe scan of the area, gladly identifying the three present in the first category, with a complete blank on the second, much to his relief. Though the good 'doctor' seemed to be a strange one, at least compared to the old couple. It was curious what a man with twelve years of ninja experience could deduce from a few small and nearly insignificant details within a few moments.

The doctor had military training, and by his build a lot of it. The build also suggested martial arts or melee weapons of some sort, by the shoulders and arms, most likely the second, and a two-handed weapon at that. He made a mental note to thank his tenant when he realized something strange...an unpleasant feeling of emptiness, like a part of him was missing. He was no longer there.

"What's your name?" came a friendly interruption from the old woman, whom he by now identified as Alexandra according to what he heard them talk. With a short rub on his eyes, he decided to answer, and probe for a reaction

"Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki" he shortly stated "I'm afraid I was unable to hear your names...?" he tried, but was once more surprised when he felt the utter lack of any recognition from all three of them, especially the 'doctor'. The old man decided to go first

"My name is Mizaku Kataro, and this is my lovely wife, Alexandra" he offered. Naruto made a short smile before commenting

"I would gladly kiss your hand kind lady, but I'm afraid I still have a bit of blood on me. I understand you were the one to find me? Once more, my thanks for saving me" he spoke again in a kind and polite tone. The old-timer grinned, before giving him a friendly slap on the back, right before he could have been stopped by both Isshin and his wife. Naruto merely chuckled

"No problem kiddo, just glad to see you alive" Kataro gleefully commented. Naruto decided to raise a finger to his chin, taking a contemplative position.

"Did anything of my clothes survive?" he asked. Alexandra got up and walked off, returning a few seconds later with a tattered white coat. The happy smile on Naruto's face that followed was contagious. As soon as he got it back, he quickly began rummaging through the pockets, finally stopping when he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a small metal canteen, battered through the years, but still whole. With a grateful smile, he pulled the top open and took a short sip, enjoying the divine taste of the plum sake within. Without ever wiping the smile from his face he offered it to the others

"I know it's not much, but I'd like to share this. It was made by monks back home, and is the finest sake I know of" Naruto curtly stated. Curious, Kataro took the canteen, and after a short sniff, took a gulp.

Isshin stayed curiously quiet throughout the whole exchange, a fact not lost on either of them. Naruto was an enigma to him. He fit several equally weird scenarios in his head, but none of them could actually explain everything. The surprise at the two separate subjects of Tokyo and Japan were equally interesting, as if he didn't know what the two were. It was a curious situation, he had to admit, and the normally crazy man stood perfectly quiet at that moment, studying the weird phenomenon in front of him. But his doubts were beginning to build, and the only scenario that now made sense. This boy was from another world.

Even with all the issues of such a statement, nothing, absolutely nothing else made sense. Three centuries of life taught him one thing. Every power that existed in this world was in one way or another connected to the subtle or not-so-subtle manipulations of Reiryoku. This boy had none, and unless he was some sort of mutant, the rate at which he was healing was impossible. There was also the subject of the strange energy that he felt, the way he acted, the fact that he was awake seconds before showing it, and the fact that he was sure that he had signed him off as a danger after a short, but serious study. Those weren't the marks of a normal teen, but that of a veteran warrior used to fighting at any time. So what the hell was he?

"Kataro, would you mind giving me a few moments to discuss something in private with Naruto here?"

"Uhm? Sure... come on Alexandra" the old man agreed. He had a feeling something was strange about the kid, it was the very reason he called Isshin Kurosaki here. Not like he didn't know any other doctors.

A few moments later the two were left alone in the room, and the atmosphere visibly tensed. Naruto's face turned from friendly to downright emotionless and a large zanbatou popped out of nowhere, and was now placed at Isshin's throat

"Who are you and what do you want?" were the questions that Naruto decided to ask.

"No need to get so aggressive" Isshin countered, pushing the blade slowly away with a finger "My name is Isshin Kurosaki, I'd say I'm just our average doctor..." he started

"...but that wouldn't be true now would it? I don't know how, but you aren't just human, are you?" Naruto responded, but since he decided he didn't feel any threat from the man, he sent another pulse of energy to the seals on his palm, resealing the weapon once more. One of the things Naruto was good at were quick judgments based partly on information and partly on instinct. Isshin gave off the feel of a decent man, if a bit eccentric. He felt he could trust him. At least for now.

"Quite correct again. I am what you'd call a Shinigami" he shortly stated "And you my friend aren't from around here, yes?"

"Understatement of the century." Naruto muttered "Fine. Let's cooperate for now. I'm not from around here obviously. But Shinigami?" he asked with a bit of disbelief. He had seen the Shinigami back home, and the man in front of him lacked more than a few of the rather... unpleasant traits old grin and fangs had.

"Surprising, I know" Isshin answered "From what I gather, you seem to believe there is only one Death God. And wherever you are from it just might be the case. Here, there is a multitude. It's kinda complicated to explain, though I may know someone who might be able to do it a bit better than me" he offered. Naruto stood quiet for a few moments, before offering a friendly grin to the man.

"Why not?" he stated "What do you want to know?"

"For starters, how did you get those wounds? Or better yet, survive them?" Isshin asked.

"It's kinda complicated. And it will take a while" Naruto shortly answered, a frown marring his face now "Before you know anything else, you should know that where I come from, we were at war against a single man, and the powers he wielded, both men and skills. I, regardless of my age was the leader of a ninja village, essentially a group of highly trained mercenaries that answered to a feudal lord. Now, said man was Madara Uchiha, probably the most powerful entity of my world. Fast, deadly, skilled and powerful beyond reason, and with over a century of war experience to back him up"

"Shortly, that _man _destroyed everything I held dear. My wife, my children, my home. Everything. And in a final act of petty vengeance for destroying him, he ripped open a hole between worlds, sucking me in. Before that happened, I was already half dead from all the wounds I suffered. As you likely noticed, they come from a variety of different attacks, all mastered by that monster. The wounds were insufficient to stop me from killing him though" Naruto added with a sickening smirk.

Isshin was shocked by the story so far. And worse of all, it made sense with what he had seen.

"Don't be so shocked. I am a shinobi, a living weapon that willingly takes lives. I strive not kill unless necessary, but I've already killed thousands of enemies. Taking the life of a bastard like him, _that_ was personal, though." he casually responded, slightly misinterpreting the thoughts "Regardless, by the time the battle was over, I was badly injured, with just enough time to strike one final blow through his skull before being pulled in. The next thing I know, I'm in a field right next to a small farmhouse, bleeding to death. Even with my insane regenerative capabilities, if it wasn't for them, I would have been dead" Naruto solemnly finished, a note of genuine gratitude in his voice as he spoke of the old couple.

"I don't suppose the term Elemental Countries means anything to you?" a short shake of the head was his answer.

"Crap once more... though not like I had anything left to return to" he mumbled, a single tear breaking from his eyes. He couldn't tell why, but he no longer held his emotions back. Perhaps because he had no reason why anymore. Anko was long dead, little Minato and Kaize, his son and daughter too, along with his sister and mother, all killed by the same treacherous bastard. Every single thing that made his life worth living was stripped from him. Even Kyuubi, his oldest companion and friend seemed to be absent, as a short visit to his mindscape revealed. The seals were there... but there was nothing to hold in. He wasn't particularly sad, nor grieving. He passed that phase over a year ago when they died. Now he was simply empty, no purpose, no drive to guide him. He had failed. He couldn't protect those he loved from a monster.

Isshin had once more adopted a sad look to his face. He knew the look the boy...no, man in front of him held, the look of one who had no reason to keep living any longer. It was something he had seen many times in his years as both a doctor and a Shinigami. It was never good, nor pleasant for that matter.

"I know nothing I say will bring them back. And I know that you likely won't find them in the afterlife, being where you are. But would they have wanted you to sit around mopping?" he asked in a calm, but compassionate voice. It earned a jerk from Naruto's head, and a look of surprise

_'What would they have wanted? They would have wanted me to be me. The crazy bastard that loved them more than his own life and was willing to move mountains for them, just to bring a smile. To never give up regardless of the situation. And to live on for them'_

"You know, you're right._" _Naruto stated in a shaken, but determined voice "Ehm... would it be a problem to set me up with that 'friend' of yours?" he asked curiously, bringing a soft smile from the older doctor

"None whatsoever."

"Good. I'm not sure if I have any money that would pass here, but I do have some gold if that works." Naruto shortly stated "I think I'll need a few things. An apartment would be nice, some food, clothes. That kind of stuff." he continued, while Isshin kept nodding.

"Kisuke will be able to get you all that, and maybe even help you out with fitting in a bit." Isshin added. Naruto stopped for a moment

"You seem to be taking this rather nicely..." he sarcastically stated, the first bit of genuine emotion slipping through. Isshin, who was at the time walking out, turned with a crazy smile

"I've seen weirder things" he jovially added as he walked out, leaving Naruto to dress in peace.

A few hours later found him in Karakura town, being left of in front of a back alley shop. along with Isshin Kurosaki, who proceeded to knock. The door opened to reveal a kid who was about ten or twelve at most, with bright red hair, and an oddly fitting scowl. The store seemed to perfectly fit in the area, the front had stands that held fruit and vegetables that seemed oddly out of place, and a large sign declared it as 'Urahara Shop'. He argued that Urahara was probably the man they were coming to see

"Hey Jinta. Is Urahara home?" he asked in a voice that to Naruto seemed faked, as if the man was acting... or maybe it was just a second side of his personality. He tuned out the short conversation the two of them had to go through the short bit of memories since he left the farm. His coat was thankfully one more in pristine condition, thanks to the seals he had personally stitched into it, along with his pants. Kataro had graciously provided a pair of boots, much to his pleasure, so at least he had a full set of clothes, minus a shirt. The trips had been an uneventful one, though the strange landscape intimately reminded him of some of the more prosperous communities back in Fire country. Karakura town seemed like a nice enough place. He turned back to reality as soon as he heard Isshin speaking to him

"Urahara is a good man, sly as a fox and just as clever, but I'd trust the man with my life" he stated in a rarely serious tone "Though be careful about buying some of the stuff he tries to peddle. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he's a trader by heart" he added with just a bit of mirth. The two of them were guided inside to a small room where the were greeted by apparently Urahara Kisuke, a blond man in his late twenties, judging by his appearance, who was dressed in what seemed to be traditional Japanese clothes, along with his signature green-striped hat and clogs, combined with a cane and a fan held in one hand.

"Why hello Isshin, what brings you here? And who is your young friend?" came the enthusiastic voice

"Naruto, meet Kisuke Urahara, an old friend of mine who usually gets things done. Kisuke, this is Uzumaki Naruto. Let's just say that he needs some help for now." Isshin shortly explained, the voice hiding a serious undertone that the curious shopkeeper instantly picked up. Closing his fan, he guided the two to one of the rooms in the back, offering them a place to sit down, and calling for someone named Ururu to bring tea. A few moments later, a small girl of about the same age as Jinta entered the room. She was extremely timid, though for some reason, Naruto got the strange feeling that she could easily kick _anyone's_ ass. Shaking the feeling off, he turned to face Urahara, whom he by now figured out to be far more than a simple shopkeeper, and began to retell his story.

Kisuke Urahara considered himself a man of science, first and foremost. Being a pervert, merchant extraordinaire and former shinigami came second. He had a deeply ingrained curiosity about the things around him, and when introduced to a complete unknown, he tended to be completely ecstatic. The fact that the boy oozed power when you stood next to him, but that he couldn't feel a signature when he was more then ten meters away was... intriguing to say the least. Still, he noticed the hesitance to speak of certain subjects, such as the boy's dead family, and his combat skills, which were probably impressive. He understood both perfectly. It's not like he was telling him his own skills, regardless of how nicely he asked. But the act of telling itself was an act of trust. Trust he didn't mind repaying. At least he would make things interesting for a while. Putting away all the information he gathered for future reference, he began speaking.

"Okay, here's what I can do. Let's see. For starters you need a place to stay, right? Right. I know a place that has a free apartment, fully fixed up, just have to keep it clean. Also, I can enroll you into Karakura high school, it would help you fit in a bit, and help you understand this place a bit better. Aside from that, I can provide a bit of advise every now and then. Maybe some clothes, until you can buy your own" Urahara explained his offer

"And in return?" Naruto asked. He knew all to well that nothing in life came for free. Kisuke took the chance to smile at his clever new friend

"A small favor here and there. Nothing special" he quietly added, a short laugh escaping him in the end. Naruto sat quietly for a few moments, considering the pros and cons of the situation. He could get settled, but he had a very weird feeling that the 'little' favors would be anything but. Still, it's not like he had a choice. He needed the help, at least until he acclimated himself to this strange new world

"So be it" he answered with a tone of finality

"No need to be so glum about it Naruto-kun!" Kisuke offered a friendly smile "It's not like I'm going to ask you to do something bad. I'm not that kind of a bastard."

With a short shake of his head Naruto gave up. Whatever happened, happened. His old life was dead and buried,and he seriously doubted that he could ever return there. So he decided to do what he did best. He improvised

An hour and a lot of sake later, Isshin guided him to what was the apartment building where he would be staying. It was a quaint little place, three stories high, and near the river along with the high school he was supposed to enroll into which was just a few blocks away. He had the entire route they passed so far on foot perfectly memorized, along with the position of the Kurosaki clinic. Peace time or not, Naruto was a shinobi. To know what resources he had at his disposal was instinct. To his pleasure, Urahara offered to exchange an amount of gold for local currency. The rate seemed fair once he told him how valuable the yen was compared to certain everyday goods.

The apartment was a decent one, he had to admit that it seemed even comfortable. Modern technologies aside, it had a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room. Even a small balcony right beneath the roof with a decent view of the river a few blocks away. Just about everything he needed to live and train. The first thing he visited was the kitchen, as he hadn't eaten in what seemed to be two days. The fridge and pantry were filled to the brim with various foodstuffs, including, much to his pleasure the necessary ingredients to cook ramen. As he prepared his food and sat down to eat, he went over the most frequent thoughts that ran through his head.

Urahara had mentioned enrolling him in something he called a 'high school', though he seriously wondered if he could stay sane in another school after the ninja academy years back. Still, meeting new and perhaps interesting people was something to look forward to. And in his spare time, Urahara did promise to let him use the basement in his shop to train. He didn't know why, but the way he had said the word made him... curious? The man was hardly what you'd call normal.

There was another source of confusion for him, and that was the language. While it appeared that this 'Japanese' was in fact the very language used by the elemental countries, there were a lot of subtle differences and slang. He didn't really mind that much, he could easily pass himself off as someone who lived in the countryside, or was raised at a martial temple of some sort. What worried him was his complete lack of knowledge about the world. A raid to the local library could and would fix that. That is if he could still create shadow clones.

He wasn't overly concerned as he had more than a few tricks up his sleeve. It was finally time to make a short test of every more subtle skill he still remembered. Things with heavy firepower or a strong signature would have to wait for now.

_(Tomorrow morning, Kurosaki family home)_

The day was going slowly for one Ichigo Kurosaki. The oppressive moisture in the air spoke of a rain that would fall later. Ichigo would consider himself a generally normal kid, were it not for a few factors. He went to your average high school, one that was very much reminiscent of a former prison block, had a number of friends, and lived a generally boring life. That however is if you take away the fact that because of his completely natural bright orange hair he was the target of various bullies and other idiots... most of them got properly beaten. Then there was the fact that he could see ghosts. Not exactly your everyday occurrence. Still, apart from occasionally helping them out, or hearing them out, it had little effect on his life.

The day had started normally enough. He got up, completed his morning rituals, dressed in the usually uncomfortable school uniform and started walking down the stairs when he realized something was missing. There was no psychotic father to greet him.

"Good morning, Ichi۔nii! Breakfast is on the table" came the cheerful voice of his sister Yuzu. Ichigo's family consisted of himself, his father Isshin, and his younger sisters Yuzu and Karin, who was currently nowhere in sight.

"Good morning Yuzu" came the still sleepy response "Where are dad and Karin?"

"Dad got called this morning for work, and Karin's still sleeping" came the answer from the kitchen. Ichigo remained silent, opting to instead quietly eat breakfast. The toast was as perfect as usual, and the thin film of blueberry jam, combined with a morning tea. He ate quickly, as his classes would begin in a little over half an hour. After he finished, he picked up the plate and cup, carrying them over to the kitchen. He placed them in the sink, turning to give a short hug and kiss on the head to his sister

"Thanks Yuzu. Good luck in school. And say hello to Karin for me when she wakes up." Ichigo gently spoke to his younger sister. Normally the young man held a tough guy image, but if anyone, his sisters knew his other, caring side, the one he rarely showed since their mother Masaki died. To all apart from his friends, he wore a scowl or frown, but those he held close had a chance to meet the real person beneath.

With a short sigh, he picked another piece of toast, placing it in his mouth, while taking the school bag and slinging it over his shoulder. With brisk, long paces, he left his home and went towards school.  
The path he normally used rarely deviated, though today, he needed to pay a visit to someone. Walking through the small streets, he finally came to the crossroad he was looking for. Near one of the streetlights was a small bottle, filled to the half with water, along with three flowers placed in it. It was something of a tribute to a girl that had died over a week ago in a traffic accident

"Ichigo!" he heard her voice. She was a child, no older than eight, twin ponytails dropping to her sides as she peeked from behind the corner, a beaming smile on her lips "You came!"  
Despite himself, Ichigo could do nothing but chuckle, and place a warm smile on his face.

"I said I would, didn't I?" he calmly returned "I brought you fresh flowers. I'm sorry I can't stay much longer"

"It's okay. You came" she smilingly answered, giving him a ghostly hug, before seeing him off to school, both unaware of a pair of eyes watching them.

It took him another ten minutes to reach the school. Karakura high was about the usual high school, several stories of a white building, with several side ones used for some of the classes. A bunch of other students at the same school were just entering, wearing identical uniforms. Schooling his features into their usual state of indifference, he gave a slow nod in salute to the school security before entering. He had classes mostly on the second floor, so without much bother, he got up as fast as he could while still walking casually, reaching for his locker only to feel a familiar presence approaching. At lightning speed, Ichigo raised his left foot to meet the face of one Keigo Asano, a fellow student. Keigo is very much a hyperactive knucklehead, though a general good guy. He simply annoys him at times

"Ichiguhhh!" came the greeting shout right before foot met face

"Hello Ichigo" came the voice of the other boy, Mizuiro Kojima, self-proclaimed (and successful) ladies man.

"Hey Mizuiro" Ichigo replied as he slammed shut the locker door, and proceeded into the classroom, ignoring the fact that they both stepped over Keigo

Inside, they were greeted by a number of familiar faces, such as Inoue Orihime, Sado Yasutora, alias Chad, Tatsuki Arisawa, and a number of others. He gave a lazy wave in greeting, and sat down in his place, right next to the window. A few minutes later, everyone had quieted down, and the teacher, a relatively young woman by the name of Misato Ochi walked in with her usual smiling face, leading along another teen with her.

"Good day class. Today, a new transfer student will be joining us. Why don't you introduce yourself?" she greeted, and turned to the teen.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. Pleased to meet you" Naruto said, with a mild bow towards the rest of the class

"You can take that seat over there" Misato pointed towards one that was in the back, right next to Chad.

Ichigo had taken his few moments to study the newcomer to the school, mostly because the class was boring as hell, and he needed something to keep his mind from collapsing. He was about as tall as he was, athletically built. The normal school uniform kept most of his skin covered, but he noticed the faint ends of a few scars towards the neck and hands, along with several tattoos. He had short and spiky blond hair, a haircut much similar to his own, a relaxed, if a bit indifferent face, and a strange smile that seemed oddly out of place. He moved strangely as well, it was more of a stalk than a walk, like a man who spent far too much time hunting.  
He immediately gave up on the study, opting to keep his mind busy with something else.

Nearby, Naruto took his designated seat next to Chad, giving the dark skinned giant a friendly and curious look, not in the least intimidated unlike many others

"Naruto" he said in a jovial tone, offering his hand to the teen, who looked at him strangely for a moment, before shaking his hand

"Sado Yasutora." he replied, a calm and relaxed tone, not really bothering to show much emotion, unlike him, who hid them. He sat down, taking his place... and so began one of the most tiresome days in his life.

The lunch break found Naruto dozing off on the roof, spread out in the early summer sun, and looking blissfully unaware of a few bullies who decided to inform the newcomer of 'who ruled the 'hood'

On the other side of the roof, just getting up were Ichigo and his group, curiously watching one of the students jumping around while holding his foot, while the new guy was on the ground, sitting backed to a pole, and loudly snoring.

"God damn it, what is this guy made of?" came the voice of one of the two, while they tried to bail, only to encounter a number of fists coming from Chad and Ichigo.

Naruto woke up with a stretch of his arms, and a loud yawn, much to the surprise of others

"Man, that was a good rest. Uhm? Why does my side tingle?" he asked no one in particular."Oh hey" he greeted once he figured out that there were others present "What are those two doing on the floor?" Naruto asked, bringing a number of sweat-drops from those present.

"You mean you didn't feel them trying to kick you?" Keigo asked incredulously.

"They were trying to kick me? Ahh, so that's why... how bothersome" Naruto responded, giving up on the subject and pulling himself up. "Thanks Sado, and you... uhm, I'm afraid I don't know your name"

"Ichigo" the carrot-haired teen offered

"Pleased to meet you Ichigo-san." he responded, a kind smile covering his face."Care to join me for lunch? I'm afraid I haven't got much to offer though.."  
Ichigo chuckled in response as he and the others sat down in a semicircle forming on Naruto, each of them pulling out a bento filled with various foods. Naruto took a moment to study those that were now sitting around him. To his left was Sado, often called Chad by the others, specially Ichigo. The man was a lumbering giant compared to him, but he seemed to be of the gentle kind, because while intimidating, he was also polite and kind to others. Ichigo, obviously the one Isshin mentioned (he asked himself for a moment how many orange-haired people named Ichigo could there be) was mostly indifferent or scowling, though he seemed like a good guy beneath that face. For the others he managed to pick out names during class. A black-haired girl, apparently a martial artist by her build, named Tatsuki Arisawa. Two kids who pretty much stuck together named Keigo and Mizuiro. A girl with bright orange hair, much like Ichigo, and endowed well enough to put Tsunade to shame, while at the same time being mostly clueless, but sweet, named Orihime Inoue. His initial check told him that they were a good bunch, rowdy and crazy, but good.

"Might as well introduce all of us." Ichigo started, right before they started eating "This is Inoue and Tatsuki" he said, pointing to the two girls "and Keigo and Mizuiro" all of them waving hands as they were called out. The group soon descended into pointless banter, though Naruto had trouble keeping up in most areas, when it came to food or martial arts, he was like a fish in the sea. When Keigo began arguing about weapons, he also had little problems countering his arguments. However, once the talk entered popular TV shows or recent events, he was completely lost, opting to listen, absorb and ask whenever things seemed interesting. He was sure that some of them noticed his lack of knowledge, Sado and Ichigo most likely, but at this point he really didn't care. He realized that he liked the bunch he was sitting with. It was as good a start as any.

* * *

That's pretty much the first chapter folks. I hope you liked it. I will keep updating all three stories, as chapters for the two others are nearing completion. They'll be up in a few days.

So, how did you like it so far? Read, review, but please avoid flaming. I seriously don't have the will to bother with flamers now


	2. A Killer with a Heart of Gold

**Author's Ramblings:**

You will probably notice a lot of references to his past life in Konoha. Naruto hasn't forgotten his old home, nor the people he cared for there. While there won't be segments dedicated to them, many will be mentioned in Naruto's moments of remembrance.

For all those interested, while Naruto is ridiculously powerful, compared to his home world, his skills and abilities don't stack the same way against his foes here. And while characters like Ichigo and Kenpachi (not to mention the seriously old geezers such as Yamamoto) may have far more raw power than him, he knows how to control his own near-perfectly and in a large enough variety of ways to make planning against him difficult at best, while he on the other hand is a master planner and strategist.

Also, I won't describe every single detail. I would suggest that you have at least a basic familiarity with both Bleach and Naruto before you read this stuff, it will make your life considerably easier :P

Now, thanks for the attention, and enjoy the new chapter

* * *

_Chapter 2 : A Killer With a Heart of Gold_

".. and then he fell over, dragging the entire pile of food on him!" Keigo finished retelling one of the more entertaining events of recent times to a laughing audience. Even Naruto was laughing heartily at the jokes and stories the group was retelling, even if they occasionally brought a pang of pain to his heart. He clicked right in, and was considered one of the gang in a matter of minutes. After school, since they had school tomorrow, they only walked a short time together before breaking up.

Naruto had come to a very interesting realization that day. Till a little while ago, he was thinking as Naruto, Sixth Hokage of Konoha, a man bound by duty and promises, but that man no longer existed. For better or for worse, he was liberated from all of his bonds by Madara's actions. He had begun anew.

Content with how his first day passed, Naruto took one long and careful look around, just to make sure no one could see him, before running up the wall and landing on his open balcony. Certain that he had attracted no attention, he quietly slinks into the room, pulling off the annoying jacket and shirt, along with the school bag, right before going into the bathroom for a long overdue shower.

With the rest of his clothes on the bed, Naruto took a long look over his body in the mirror. There were more scars than he'd care to count, but what worried him was that the Reaper Death Seal... was no longer a seal. Kyuubi was gone, and gone for good it seemed. He had sensed it last night, when he decided to separate the two components of his chakra to try out the Twin Mirror Lotus. It worked without a hitch, apart for the fact that he recognized his Ki and Reiki as no longer human, but demonic in origin. Had he become a full demon now? It wasn't that he really cared anymore, he knew himself well, otherwise he would have long ago collapsed and died, but the curiosity was gnawing on him

A cursory inventory run revealed that all of the objects sealed within the seal arrays on his body were still there, his most prized possessions among them. Taking a moment to bite his thumb, he focused a bit of his chakra into one of the triad of seals covering the area over his heart, and within moments, two small pieces of jewelry materialized in the palm of his hand. The first piece was a necklace, a silver snowflake suspended on a thin chain, a memento of his first friend Haku, while the other, a thin band of silver was a gift from his beloved. When she died he sealed them, he felt himself no longer worthy of the two objects they used instead of wedding rings. It only made sense to him and Anko, to along with their wedding vows exchange the two objects they held so close to their hearts. He quietly put the ring on the chain, before putting it on his neck.

Taking one last look at his reflection, and wondering since when were his eyes purple, he walked to the shower, letting the stream of warm water rush his worries away, faintly aware of a number of strong signatures that were entering the town around him.

_(02:37, Kurosaki Home)_

Nightmares were never a pleasant thing, Ichigo knew that much from personal experience. He had woken up in the middle of the night, covered by a cold sweat, trembling from a dream he couldn't remember. It was an irritating experience, one he remembered from the time his mother died. When he had finally recovered from the initial shock and guilt, he had nightmares for weeks. If it weren't for the loving care of his family, he would have snapped.

The day had been a strange one, to say the least. Once he parted from his group on his way home from school, he one more deviated from his normal path, escorting Tatsuki and Orihime a part of the way, and finally turning to go and pick up a new music CD he had been waiting for weeks. That's when things got weird.

What happened next was more like something out of a bad horror flick than reality, but he had no basis to doubt. The girl he had been visiting every day next to the light post was running, horrified by a large _presence_ behind her. He could see it, a gargantuan black monstrosity with a white, snarling mask covering it's face. For some reason, it seemed like the mask was the face. And just as fast as _it _appeared, another figure appeared on the top of a lamp post in the middle of the street. A midget of a girl with a sword in her hands, dressed in what seemed to be a black kimono befitting of a time long past. In a moment, she jumped towards the creature, slicing at it's mask, and before he had the time to react properly, the thing was gone, but so where the little girl and the girl with the sword. However, the damage dealt to the city around him, the claw marks along the building walls and other damage were designated as 'gas leaks'.

"Since when do gas leaks leave claw marks, huh?" he quietly muttered as he looked at his blood shot eyes in the mirror, and downed a glass of water before returning to bed. When he entered his room, he was in for the shock of his life.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he managed to stop himself from shouting, but his voice was still pretty loud. It was the 'girl with the sword' from earlier.

"It's close" she said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

"'It's close'!? What kind of a stupid burglar says something like that?" he ranted on, positively ignored by the girl, who jumped from her perch on the window, and moved over his bed to the floor, blatantly unaware that she was about to get smacked.

"I am talking to you woman!" Ichigo yelled as he slammed a palm on her back, making her eyes comically widen as she fell on the floor.

"You..you can see me?" She barely managed to mutter

"Yes I can see you" Ichigo returned in a pissed-off voice " Who the hell are you? And what did you do with that... thing earlier today? I know I wasn't seeing things" he kept on ranting.

"Wait, you were the guy from earlier today?" the girl asked. But before they could continue their conversation, a series of loud screams broke the night's silence.

"Damn it! Yuzu! Karin!" Ichigo shouted as he ran outside without a moment's thought, leaving a stunned Shinigami right behind him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Across town, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze was pissed. He was staring at some crazy monstrosity that towered over him, eying him hungrily.

"Oi, shitface, do I look like dinner or something?" He angrily muttered. No one, absolutely no one interrupts his relaxing time and gets away with it. Especially if they're trying to eat people at the same time.

"_A delicious morsel_" the creature whispered in a deep baritone. It was vaguely humanoid, a towering giant of pure blackness with six arms and a weird white mask. "_Come here so I can eat you alive_"

"Really?" Naruto muttered as he started pumping chakra into the various seals over his body. He was royally pissed now. Just as four of the six hands slammed into the ground where he was, he vanished. The creature looked around in surprise, only to come face to face with a form that had sown nightmares across the Elemental Countries. Standing on his shoulder with a katana in hand, was Naruto, dressed in a long white coat, buttoned up from waist up, an almost peerless white mask covering his face, the only imperfection being two eye slits. A pair of black gloves and black boots covered the last remaining parts of his skin. Then the creature realized that the drawn blade of the katana was bloody.

"_No foe has ever stood alive against the blade of the White Wraith fool_" he spoke in a cold, distorted voice that forced the being to shiver against it's will

"_Another Arrancar? But how?_" it muttered in fear.

"_I care little for your names for me creature. You will die now_" Naruto answered, and sheathed the blade, before simply hopping off. It watched him fall down, until it noticed something. None of it's body parts were bleeding, which meant... _"Aaarrghhh!" _the creature screamed into the night even as it's body disintegrated at the breaking of it's mask. A few moments later, nothing remained of the fierce creature, a detail Naruto dully noted.

"I'm seriously talking to Urahara in the morning..." Naruto muttered as he jumped of to privacy of his home to reseal the clothes. His skill with his field of Radiance told him that no one was around to see him, and that was enough.

It was only when he had resealed his clothes that he realized that the creature's scream wasn't the only one. And neither was it's presence a lone one.

"Oh shit" he barely muttered as he jumped through the window, dressed only in his pants and the long blade of the Song of the Wind to keep him company.

"Well, at least this world isn't as boring as I originally thought" he muttered as he kept jumping from rooftop to rooftop, eerily reminiscent of what he did home in Konoha.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Thrust this sword into your heart, and I will give you my power" Rukia explained, her voice slowly going deathly calm "I don't know if this will work, but there is no other way"

"Give me the sword Shinigami" Ichigo asked "Let's give your idea a try"

"It's not Shinigami" Rukia responded with a smirk "It's Kuchiki Rukia"

Ichigo smirked back

"I see... I'm Kurosaki Ichigo" he calmly answered, right before he pulled the tip of the sword into his chest and straight through his heart. A blinding flash of light hid the events that followed.

Moments later, the large hollow that tried to kill them was missing an arm, and more importantly, had a massive cut through it's head before fading into nothing. Ichigo Kurosaki had become a Shinigami.

And then the others came.

Kuchiki Rukia wasn't a happy person. Scratch that, she was scared stiff. Everything had went to hell in a hand basket right after they had defeated the first hollow. Some idiot had though it wise to use a hollow bait on this of all nights, when the gates of Soul Society were closed _and _locked, so no reinforcements were coming.

She had sacrificed herself to protect this human, this Kurosaki Ichigo from a Hollow he had challenged to protect his family. Badly wounded as she was, she was useless against it, and Ichigo stood no chance, so she did the one thing left to her. It was a great crime, but it was still better than both of them dying. She pushed all of her Reiryoku into the boy, giving him her Shinigami powers... or more accurately, activating his own dormant ones if what she had seen in the last hour was correct. He had effortlessly killed the Hollow that had a mere few moments ago kicked both of them around. Sure, he lacked style and skill, but what else do you expect from a man who just took the sword into his hands for the first time in his life?

But not even that was enough, as after the first one, another came, and then another two, then three. No more then five minutes had passed, and they were surrounded by over two dozen hollows. Not her idea of a good time, certainly. Ichigo defeated the first dozen, but the second two that came were simply too much

"What now?" came Ichigo's tired voice. If anything, she had to admit, the boy had stamina. The first time she drew her Zanpakuto she nearly dropped unconscious. He fought for ten fucking minutes against a superior foe and was just now getting tired? If it wasn't happening before her eyes, she'd call it ridiculous.

"No idea" she answered in a shaken voice. It was true, she had no idea what to do. Whilst she planned to give him half her power, he had subconsciously pulled it all in, and she was left as weak as a kitten compared to the Hollows.

"So we just stand here and die?" Ichigo was pissed off. Death was certainly not a part of his plans for this night. None of this was, come to think of it. These 'Hollows' that the girl lying next to him, wait, Rukia described were little friendlier than ravenous monsters. And their character was just as pleasant. So far, the only thing they discussed was who was getting the first feeding right on the two Shinigami, thankfully avoiding the unconscious bodies of Karin and Yuzu. Ichigo was thankful that at least his father was away and safe.

"Hey Ichigo" came a bored voice, causing a complete silence to drop on the area. Right in front of them, was of all people Naruto Uzumaki, the crazy new student as school. Even the hollows were intrigued for the lack of a better word.

"Naruto? What the hell are you doing here?And what's with the...sword?" he started, as the blond took an annoyed yawn, and one of the Hollows behind him disintegrated.

"So, you and your girlfriend need a hand?" he offered in a perfectly calm tone... the reaction was instantaneous

"SHE'S/HE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND!" came the combined shout from the two, nearly knocking Naruto off his feet. A light chuckle escaped the blond's mouth at their slightly blushed faces

"Geez, chill a little." Naruto responded, using his pinky to clear out his ear. "Or better yet, chill a little more while I take care of business"

For the first time since meeting General Yamamoto and her older adoptive brother, Kuchiki Rukia was positively awed, as the figure in front of her flickered for just a split-second, instantly annihilating the entire group of hollows. Another lazy yawn was the only action he took, apart from sheathing his katana, and making it disappear. He hadn't moved, he simply stopped being in one position and appeared in the other.

"Naruto Uzumaki, pleased to meet you" he offered in a kind voice as he gave Rukia a hand to rise from the ground

"Kuchiki Rukia... likewise" she answered, a bit of awe and fear mixed in her voice. He merely smiled that disarming smile of his, as he helped her to her feet.

"You two okay?" he asked

"You don't really seem surprised by all of this...?" Ichigo asked in a confused tone

"Not really. I already had to kick the ass of a few of these things... what's a few dozen more?" he nonchalantly answered "Ehm Ichigo, tell me something,does your home have one story, and a clinic right to the left of it?"

"Yeah...why?"

"Because I think you're likely going to be bunking somewhere for at least a few days" Naruto bluntly stated as he stared to the damage dealt to the Kurosaki home. There was a gaping hole that covered most of the first floor, while thankfully leaving the second floor unscathed. Many of the kitchen accessories were strewn about along with the few surviving pieces of what was once the kitchen table.

Ichigo tiredly grasped his head, right before he lost consciousness with a mutter of 'Oh that's just great'. With an annoyed sigh, Naruto picked him up and started dragging him off into the house, coming later for his two younger sisters. Rukia watched, curious but still frozen in shock as the young man applied something that suspiciously seemed like medical Kido on them, healing their wounds just a little bit before carrying them back in. She waited for him to come out before trying to ask him

"Are you... are you a Shinigami?" she cautiously tried.

"Me? Naah, just a cool guy with a sword" Naruto retorted. "But I guess you're one, and so is Ichigo apparently." Naruto commented, gently shaking his head" Damn, I need a good night's sleep. Were are you staying?" he quietly asked.

"Ehh... nowhere?" she weakly tried

"Fine. Come on" he stated and walked off.

"What do you mean 'come on'?" Rukia asked, some of her old fire returning. Naruto stopped and groaned to the heavens in annoyance. And things were just getting a bit more fun.

"You're sleeping over at my place tonight. You get the bed, I get the couch. Tomorrow, do what you want, but for tonight, Ichigo can look after himself, and if not, his family will, and you are too badly injured to do so. Now come" he said in a stern voice, for a moment reminding her of her brother. She found herself following him like a lost puppy before she could even think about it, but after a few steps, she stumbled an fell... never reaching the floor.

"Sheesh, they sure pulled a number on you, didn't they?" he rhetorically asked, lifting her bridal style, and jumping off to the rooftops. He was ready to kill for a few hours of sleep.

The girl had tensed in his arms, but he paid it no heed, ignoring the fact that she was obviously not used to being carried like this. He would have to get home as soon as possible to treat her wounds. The regenerative agent he injected Ichigo with should have him up by morning without a scratch, it was time to take care of her.

As soon as he got home, he quickly pressed a few points on Rukia's neck, knocking her out before she could even protest, and proceeding to take off a part of her clothing, not being overly mindful of her modesty, but still playing things safely in bandaging up her wounds. He had next to no idea just how different Shinigami were from humans, but he assumed (and correctly) that a well placed medical jutsu would both stop the bleeding and help her regeneration. Still, a cursory diagnostic jutsu was the protocol in such situations, and he was very much pleased to find out that Shinigami were indeed physically identical to humans, apart from several very, very interesting factors. First, they were completely unable to create Ki, using Reiki in it's stead, or Reiryoku, as they called it here. Second, unlike a normal human, it seemed that the body hadn't had any internal damaging effects of age, apart from the damage from a several minor illnesses. A few scars were present as well, showing that this 'spiritual body', wasn't immune to damage, or capable of perfect regeneration naturally. It was enough for him now, so he stopped the diagnostic jutsu, and flashed quickly through a few handseals. Even with his excellent control, built over years of practice, he always used handseals in medical jutsu, for fear of damaging his patients. A faint green light surrounded Naruto's arm as he activated one of the most used medical jutsu, the Mystic Palm, opting to heal the few wounds that weren't already healing

After finishing the minor healing effects, he gently placed her into the large bed, and covered her, taking a few moments to fix up her clothes and arrange them next to the bed, before walking off to the sofa.

"Now if I can only get some sleep before dawn." he sighed before diving headfirst into the couch and pillow he set up, but not before sending a team of clones to place security barriers around the area. Security before resting. The second team was long since in place around Ichigo's home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kisuke Urahara liked to sleep. That much was easy to figure out, as the man tended to sleep on the porch of his shop during warm summer days, or inside the shop on colder ones. Still, sleep was the last thing on his mind last night and this morning, as he spent his time doing damage control. A job that wasn't his, or at least not anymore. He had to admit though, Naruto had apparently done one helluva job on healing the kids, namely Ichigo, Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki.

Right now, he was rubbing his temples, trying to chase away an oncoming headache from all the nonsense he had to deal with. The total number of hollows that appeared last night was around a hundred, and three dozen of them attacked one specific place while all the others spread out like wildfire. The place was the Kurosaki residence, or more accurately, Ichigo Kurosaki, meaning that his dormant spiritual powers were awakening. At least that's what he'd managed to gather so far. Around twenty of the other hollows were wiped out by another person, most likely the new kid on the block, Uzumaki Naruto. Since he met him, he had a growing number of reasons to believe that he was more than just an average kid... and the description Isshin gave of him from before he was up was frightening. No less than the efficiency one of his surveillance devices noted. Not to mention that there seemed to be multiple copies of him. At first he considered the boy to be some form of evolved Hollow or Reiatsu affected human, but his skills and abilities were different from anything he had seen before.

The line of thoughts was soon interrupted by a knock on his window, and Kisuke turned to notice Naruto Uzumaki hanging upside down, waving with a small smile on his face. Shaking his head, and giving up on understanding the blond enigma, he walked over and opened the window, letting him in.

"Well... looks like I"m not the only one who didn't get much sleep." Naruto dryly commented as he flipped himself into the room "Mind telling me what the hell were those things I had to kill? I overheard that Rukia girl calling them Hollows." he added as he seated himself down. Urahara let out another deep sigh, before his normal humor returned.

_**(AN: To all those who've read the manga/watched the anime, ignore the following part as it's honestly a bit boring. You have been warned. A second note has been placed at the end for those interested)**_

"Why not? You see, there are two sorts of spirits. The first are called Pluses, they are mostly the should of the newly deceased, or of those who were not given a proper Soul Burial for various reasons. The second sort are Hollows, who come about in a number of ways. The most common ones are from Pluses who have remained in this world for too long, or those who have lost their hearts to despair. A Shinigami's job is to perform a Soul Burial on Pluses, sending them to Soul Society and to hunt down and kill Hollows, purifying their souls and sending them to the afterlife. With me so far? Good" he stopped, taking a short sip of tea.

"Physically, a Hollow comprises of nothing more than Spirit particles, condensed into usually a vaguely humanoid or animal-like form, though there are more than a few exceptions. The Hollow's mask and hole bear special significance, as they are a symbol of their descent. A hollow's hole can be anywhere on their bodies, while the Mask covered the area that is supposed to be the face, and serves to protect the naked instinct that remains after the heart is lost. It is also it's greatest weakness"

"The Hollows you have met are creatures of instinct, living solely to feed on the souls of others and survive, no better than animals, but still dangerous as they usually possess a plethora of unusual powers. As time passes, Hollows, since they are no longer bound by the mortality they once held evolve. During great battles in their home world of Hueco Mundo, when a large number of Hollows gather at the same place they _merge_, forming a Menos Grande, or more specifically a Gillian, which, while a mindless colossus, is far more powerful than the individual hollows that comprise it. Over time, a single soul in the mass that is a Gillian regains it's sense of self, overtaking command of the entire body and proceeding to feed on other Hollows until it gathers enough power for the next stage in it's evolution, an Adjuchas, greatly compressing their previously gained power into a relatively human-sized or slightly larger body. The final step in evolution is called a Vasto Lorde, though very little is known about them apart from the fact that they are _powerful_, since all of those who encounter them fail to return. Keep in mind that each stage of evolution is exponentially more powerful than the previous, and that while ordinary Hollows are mostly harmless compared to their more powerful brethren, they are not to be underestimated, as there are some among those who have survived for centuries. It is also believed that the more a hollow evolves, the closer it becomes to it's old human self in appearance an their instincts in reign as they regain a more human way of thinking compared to their raw instincts of before, but don't let that fool you... Not all Hollows are evil, just as not all humans or Shinigami are good, but a vast majority of them are dangerous, so be careful when dealing with them."

**(_AN: End of theoretical part_)**

Urahara finished his speech, very much surprised at how much Naruto was paying attention. If he didn't keep his eyes locked to his the entire time, he would have been sure that he was taking notes.

"Anything else?" he cheerfully asked.

"There was one more thing. The first hollow I fought said something strange"

"Oh?"

"It asked 'Another Arrancar?' when it looked at me" Naruto explained, a look of mild surprise when Urahara choked on his tea.

"Are you certain that the word was Arrancar?" he asked, implications running wild through his head

"Well? What does it mean?" Naruto somewhat impatiently asked, taking a sip of his own tea, and taking the time to enjoy the taste for a few seconds

"To remove." Urahara stated, dropping his head on his hands, and rubbing his temples yet again" Or more precisely in this case, to remove a mask from a Hollow's face. A by no means simple process. You see, Hollows and Shinigami are basically two sides of the same coin. When a Hollow removes it's mask, it becomes closer to a Shinigami, and a part of it's power is sealed into a weapon reminiscent of the Shinigami's Zanpakuto, while the change removes the blocks that previously held it's growth in place, also allowing it to develop Shinigami powers. Arrancar are exceedingly rare Naruto, the fact that the Hollow saw one means nothing but trouble"

Naruto remained silent. While this was not really his problem, he had an unpleasant feeling it would soon become so. He had analyzed all the information Urahara had given him, breaking it down and storing it for later use. He was also blissfully unaware of the descriptive horror that he had been saved from... Ichigo was hardly as fortunate with Rukia.

Still, the situation brought another question, why did the Hollow mistake him for an Arrancar? Why was an entire army of Hollows attacking Karakura? Better yet, where the flying fuck were the Shinigami who were supposed to clean the crap up? So many questions, so few answers.

"I see you are asking yourself the same questions. I'm afraid I lack the answers... for now at least. However, I have a few questions of my own, as one professional to another."

"Shoot"

Urahara smirked, and Naruto decided that he didn't like the smirk, though he didn't have enough time to react, before he was hit straight in the forehead by the tip of his cane and... nothing happened

"Well, that's hardly surprising." Kisuke drily commented "Though I am running out of ideas... exactly what are you?"

Naruto chuckled in response, letting out a hard, hollow sound

"As of a few days ago, a demon" he shortly stated, stoically waiting for the reaction.

"That's a new one" Kisuke responded, scratching his head under the hat while smiling somewhat confusedly "I suppose I really should keep quiet about it, eh?"

Naruto smiled in return, pleased by how the situation turned out. Kisuke Urahara had more than just pleasantly surprised him, this seemingly small act had earned his friendship in proper.

"It would be preferable. Now, what do we do about Kuchiki Rukia?"

_'We, eh?' _"She is healing, correct? I'll come by later to check up on her, but that's about all we can do for now. Now tell me, what do you think of Ichigo?"

"The carrot-head kid? A bit too driven by emotions for my liking, but he's okay. Someone I wouldn't trust with my secrets yet, but would with my life. He's royally screwed unless he gets help though." Naruto stated

"Oh? And why is that?" Kisuke asked, already aware of the answer, but curious of his side of reasoning nonetheless

"He's a beacon for the hollow, and it's only a matter of time before something bigger and uglier shows it's face. And somehow, I doubt the Shinigami are just going to sit around quietly. Given proper training though... he will become powerful. The passion that serves as a weakness is a double-edged sword. While it can be used against him.... it will drive him forward. I've watched the fight from a distance, not planning to interfere unless it was necessary. Sadly enough, Rukia was too weakened to fight, while Ichigo was overwhelmed, due to a lack of training I'd guess, so I might have shown a bit of my skills."

"Oh, you mean the part where two dozen Hollows went dead in a moment?" Kisuke bluntly asked

"Eh... yeah" Naruto answered, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck, while a rather goofy smile covered his face, giving the distinct appearance of a child with it's hand caught in the cookie jar. The sight left Urahara wondering how a trained veteran killer (by his own admission even) could look so _innocent._ He made a mental note to add another item to the growing list of phenomenons related to Naruto.

"I give up." he sighed in defeat "Let's pay a visit to miss Kuchiki, shall we? I don't open shop for a few more hours anyway"

Naruto shortly nodded, before walking over to Urahara, who merely quirked an eyebrow beneath his bucket hat as the blond put a hand over his shoulder, and they both disappeared in a swirl of leaves... even though there were none in the room before.

Rukia awoke to the company of two men, both of which she knew only for a short time. Kisuke Urahara was recommended to her as a solid contact and go-to person in the Living World by her captain, Joushiro Ukitake. The second was merely known to her as Naruto Uzumaki, and the little she could discern of him were the facts that he liked to joke, that he was Ichigo's friend or acquaintance, and that he was downright deadly. A sharp intellect burned behind the calm amethyst eyes, the likes of which she had only seen in a few individuals in her life, but that fact was eclipsed by the warmth the teen radiated.

"How are you feeling Kuchiki-san?" came the friendly voice of the old merchant

"Better" she shortly responded, then noticed her clothes neatly folded on a nearby chair "Did you...?" she asked with a growing tone of anger, her face flushing red.

"Relax girl, you haven't got anything I haven't seen before. I'm a trained medic, the only reason I took off your clothes was to heal the damage to your torso"he smoothly explained. Technically, it was a half-truth, as he was curious about the inner workings of Shinigami's body, but there was no need to tell her that. She still seemed a bit peeved at the fact that he had a chance to ogle her body... something she decided to express.

"So what? You shouldn't have done that! It's-it's...indecent" she tried, bringing forth a chuckle from the blond teen as he raised his arms defensively.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry for taking off your clothes." he stopped for a second "I could take off my own if that would make you feel better?" he offered, bringing forth a another blush from the girl, before she started sputtering, obviously remembering his shirtless appearance last night, bringing another hearty laugh from him.

Kisuke watched both of them studiously. Rukia was an exemplary specimen of a Soul Society raised Shinigami with no Living World experience. And to make things even funnier, she had a rather limited social range, due to her upbringing among the Kuchiki noble clan, along with just a part of their pride, or more likely arrogance. Also, her comparatively backward mentality and severe prudishness were an ideal target for messing around, especially for the apparent expert.

Naruto on the other hand behaved naturally. He hadn't expected it, but he seemed to have lowered his guard, at least partially, as if he felt he was around people worth his trust. The statement of trusting someone with his life but not his secrets made a strange amount of sense, all things considered. Naruto claimed that he was once a leader of men, and he knew from personal experience what his words meant. Step by step, Naruto proved to be a character of growing interest, though he wondered much which piece on the chessboard he would come to represent, and more importantly, which color.

"Urahara-san, I need to ask a favor of you" she started, just as the first rays of sun were coming into the room.

"Uhm?" the hat and clogged man asked/commented

"I will need to remain in the living world for a while to recover my strength. Can you provide me with a gigai and a cover identity?" she asked in a completely serious voice, as befitting of a member of her family. Urahara smiled in turn, hiding his giggle behind his fan

"After Naruto-kun here visited this morning, I took the liberty of having one prepared" he answered in a jovial voice. Rukia never noticed a detail that Naruto did, making the blonde wonder at what the former Shinigami captain had in store.

_(08:00, Kurosaki Home)_

"Good morning Ichigo!!" came the loud, and to Ichigo, obnoxious morning voice of his father. Normal families had morning traditions that consisted of normal morning rituals, such as pushing in a line for the bathroom, arguing over who gets the last drop of coffee, and so on. The Kurosaki family, or more accurately, Ichigo and Isshin had something infinitely weirder, which only by a tread failed to qualify for child abuse, and mostly because the constant retaliations of said child. It's not that Ichigo hated his father or something, it was just the fact that the man was annoying as hell when he wanted to be.

The flying figure of Isshin Kurosaki son found himself slammed into the ground, face-up a palm covering most of his face, as the owner of said palm stood above him with a scowl

"Trying to kill your son early in the morning you freak?" Ichigo shouted at him, continuing their usual morning banter. It was utterly predictable for a while now. His father jumps at him with what could best be described as a fancy surprise kung-fu move, while he, unless he was heavily distracted, retaliate, preferably painfully.

"Not bad Ichigo, I have nothing left to teach you." Isshin responded, mock tears in his eyes.

"Crazy-ass bas... wait, Yuzu and Karin, how are they? How are their wounds?" he asked in rapid succession, growing increasingly frustrated by his father's surprised look.

"Wounds? What are you talking about Ichigo?" Isshin smoothly lied. As much as he wanted to say it, he couldn't do it yet.

"That mess last night.." Ichigo started, completely confused

"Oh, you mean the truck that hit." his father answered, getting up and leading him outside, where a perfectly unharmed Karin and Yuzu were waiting for him, one mumbling curses under her breath, while the other held her usual smile

"When I get my hands on that son of a.." Ichigo tuned the rest of Karin's curses out,opting to instead stare surprised at the boarded up hole that lead to the kitchen an living room of his house.

"Can you believe it? Some truck driver crashed into our house last night and drove off!" Yuzu stated in her best 'I'm angry, feel my wrath!' tone, failing miserably to sound anything but cute as she 'threateningly' waved a large ladle in her arm, right before sighing, and following Karin back into the house, cheerfully ignoring the long string of various curses coming from the black-haired girl

"Hurry up Ichi-nii, or your breakfast will get cold and you'll miss school" she added as she walked off, leaving a completely confused Ichigo to stand.

'_How did this happen? I know that we were attacked by those things last night, I even remember the marks they left in the road. The damage to the house is still there,but the marks in the road are gone. And why do Yuzu and Karin fail to remember everything? Was it that Shinigami woman? Some sort of Soul Society damage control? And what about that Naruto guy, with the sword? It's not like they're on the news... at this rate, I'll spend all morning standing here thinking._'

Giving up on finding the answers to the long list of questions that had gathered, he resigned himself to an already cooled breakfast before school, unaware of a single pair of eyes that were watching him until a few moments ago before disappearing. He ate his cold breakfast blissfully unaware of just how complicated his life had gotten in a single night.

* * *

**Author's notes:** End of the second chapter, though it's not much of a cliffhanger for anyone who's read the manga or watched the anime. As you've likely noticed, I've been using other characters to describe his many facets.

The bit about teasing Rukia actually comes from his late wife, after all no one in their right mind would live along Anko Mitarashi without picking up on some of her habits, and he's a trickster and prankster by heart :D

For those curious, I will likely reveal the White and Black Lotus in the next chapter, while the Twin Mirror Lotus will be mentioned,but not used for a while

Also, keep in mind that I have taken a few liberties when it comes to the educational system, since my knowledge of Japan's is... horrible at best. I can point out Literature, Mathematics and Crafts along with Gym as school subjects, but that's about it. Oh, and there are the facts that they have school on Saturdays, and the fact that school lasts most of the day

Also, I've taken the liberty of setting the starting time to be nine in the morning, mostly because it gives people plenty of time to wake up in the morning and without any other logical arguments. Write it off to creative liberties...

Just to avoid confusion. Narutos' aliases are the White Wraith (for one of his crazier combat strategies and looks) and Flying Thunder God (go figure). The names of his two swords are Quicksilver (the zanbatou) and Song of the Wind ( the katana). The katana has no power whatsoever, apart from it's perfect forging, to the point that it doesn't dull, rust and it's essentially unbreakable, requiring the power equivalent to that of an angry god to break, but it still can't cut everything (being reasonable here). Quicksilver has it's name from it's mercurial blade, which can switch from solid to liquid state at a moment's notice, essentially bypassing almost any attempts to block it, unless the chakra field around it's surface is disrupted. In that case it remains solid. Here are short descriptions

-Quicksilver  
Remember how Zabuza's sword looked? It has the same handle, but the blade is no longer one edged, it has a sharp edge on both sides, four holes the size of the original one are spread evenly along a line on the length of the blade, and the top is shaped like a crescent, the pointed ends going towards the handle. (okay, this is the best I can do for this. I stink at descriptions, sadly. You can get the original sword Zabuza used on the wiki page. Also it's likely that there will be artwork of both blades up soon, so I'll paste a link somewhere around here)

-Song of the Wind  
The elegant sheath of the blade was colored in sapphire blue, with a simple metallic silver lining representing winds on it's surface. The handle was equally simple, slightly longer than a normal katana and covered in a bluish cloth, allowing better grip.  
Also, the blade is simple, and unadorned by any decorations, and the guard is similarly done.


	3. Overture to the Coming Storm

**Author's Ramblings: ** Hello everyone, here's yet another chapter of this story. Sorry for not updating the others, but I still can't finish the chapters to my liking.

Concerning this story, keep in mind that the timeline will be different. Also, keep in mind that the story will at the beginning focus more on Naruto than the other characters, but I intend to branch out later on. Still, this will act as the starter of the first non-cannon story arc, which will officially be beginning next chapter, having it's start here.

Also, the appearance of Yoruichi and Urahara is a copy of their looks in the 'Rolling Days' intro for bleach. I think it's the fifth or sixth one, for the part when the Arrancar first appear.

Regardless, I always thought it strange that for one Urahara was simply content to sit around twiddling his thumbs for the better part of a hundred years and that none of the forces that exist within Hueco Mundo ever tried to stage something to the world of the living. The other reasons are remaining a secret for not :D

Anyho, without further ado, enjoy the chapter..

* * *

_Chapter 3 : Overture to the Coming Storm_

If anyone would have taken the chance to look at the home of Naruto Uzumaki they would have noticed a situation that was reminiscent of a group of generals planning war.

And perhaps, that was exactly what Naruto, or at least the Tac-team of clones left behind did, carefully marking off future drop points for equipment, potential safe-house sites, cross-referencing them with sites of Hollow attacks from last night, along with every shred of data he could gather, whether from Urahara or by his own abilities, while a second group henged into cats or birds sat along strategic positions in town, applying the field of Radiance to it's fullest and keeping watch over what happened around. He wasn't going to be caught off-guard again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The real Naruto was busy dozing off in the classroom, back against the wall as he waited for the show to start. He was uncertain just what would Ichigo's reaction be, but he knew it would be entertaining if last night was any indication. He needed to laugh, today more than usually, as a dark loud from his past pressured more and more on his shoulders.

Next to him, Chad just arrived,watching the blond with a curious face, if the subtle change to his generally stoic appearance could be called that.

"Hello Sado" he gave off a lazy salute to the man, waving his hand in a friendly manner. Chad answered with a nod of his own, something that Naruto decided to interpret as friendly

"Naruto" he offered in turn and sat down next to him, both ignoring the chatter concerning the two of them and Ichigo. Naruto found that the theories that they made up on the spot were entertaining. Heck, one guy even said that he was the son of some yakuza boss that got transferred here for protection, an idea he found very funny.

"Just watch when Ichigo gets here" Naruto casually commented to his tall friend with but a hint of a smile, which the larger teen didn't fail to notice, and wondered just what Naruto had in store. As Naruto noted, Sado Yasutora was far from stupid, if nothing else, his scores so far proved it, as he was usually within the first twenty in school according to his grades. He was also far kinder than his muscular physique would indicate to many. From what he overheard the other students speaking, Ichigo and Sado had the image of delinquents, but both maintained near perfect grades, the only problem them being absent at times, which neither the principal nor the teachers seemed to overly mind. Sado remained quiet, but interested at his comment.

Seconds later Orihime came skipping into the room, catching the immediate attention of almost every male in the room, along with a certain lesbian female. The unusual pair that kept sitting near the back of the room noted that the girl was sputtering as she went, calming down when she noticed them and offered a dazzling smile in greeting. Naruto wasn't the type to fall for such things, but he could swear she brightened up his day. She walked over to them right after putting down her books

"Good morning Sado-kun, Naruto" she offered in her usual cheerful voice. Naruto offered one of his own foxy grins in return

"Good morning" Sado returned.

"Did you hear? A truck crashed into Kurosaki-kun's home last night!" she said, a sound of mild alarm in her voice. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the 'news', labeling the detail as something to look into at a later date, while Sado was reasonably unsettled "Thank goodness nobody was hurt though"

"That's a relief" Naruto easily lied. He wasn't proud of the fact, but he had to do it... for now at least. He had noticed something mildly strange in some of the local people. A few of them actually had detectable signatures, all of his close friends, and a rather... strange individual by the name of Ishida Uryuu, though his signature was more of a black hole than an outward pulse. Ichigo was not to be mentioned on the list... his signature was the technical equivalent of a nuclear blast in the plains... whichever way you looked, it was impossible not to see it.

"Uhm... well, I'm off. Take care you two" she said and walked off to her place, just as Ichigo and Tatsuki walked in. Under the calm facade, Ichigo was a nervous wreck from the events of last night... he couldn't really blame him, as he had gone through a somewhat similar experience on the night he graduated from the ninja academy back home. Being immersed into a completely new and different world had it's consequences, just as much as learning that the rules you thought apply so far failed to do so anymore. A shame that his world was going to get one more kick to the family jewels today.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ichigo quickly got surrounded by his friends, all worried at the news they heard of a truck crashing. In the background he could notice Chad, and currently more important, Naruto getting up and walking over to them.

"Hey man, how's the house? Need any help cleaning up the mess?" Naruto offered in a friendly tone, no signs of his other knowledge present. The 'friendly' look Ichigo gave him told him everything he needed to know

"No, it's fine, we cleaned up most of it already" he retorted, hiding the look of confusion he was about to make. He would talk with Naruto later. There was the lunch break after all. But the knowing smile Naruto was making was worrying him. _'What's the bastard up to now?'_

"AreyouKurosaki-san?_" _came a very familiar voice from right behind him. Ichigo prayed to whatever higher power would hear him that he was wrong... alas, it seemed the powers that be had a wicked sense of humor, and as he slowly turned, he came face to face with Kuchiki Rukia, dressed in the school's uniform.

Mizuiro, being the best informed of them as ever took the opportunity to explain, trying to calm down the numerous shocked faces

"This is Kuchiki-san, she transferred just today. I know weird time and all, but her family just moved here. Something about a financial situation was it?" he trailed off, and the others didn't really care

At that time, a thousand questions were speeding through Ichigo's head. Questions like 'Why is she here?', 'Just who the hell is she?' and 'What did Yuzu pack for lunch?'... however, as he was rather unskilled in the fine art of multitasking, those questions came into his mind as garbled who,what and how. In the distance he could swear he heard Naruto laughing his ass off.

"Ehh, I still haven't got my textbooks, would yo mind if I borrowed yours?" she innocently asked, putting her hand forward. Ichigo was just about to answer when he noticed the note carefully written on the back of her palm

'_Tell anyone and I kill you!_'

_'Can this day get...' _Ichigo once more stared his mental rant, but decided to stop tempting fate, lest the day got even worse... if such a thing was even possible, giving up the textbook. It wasn't worth arguing.

Naruto only now had a decent chance to take a look at her, seeing that he wasn't paying much attention to her appearance last night. She was petite, but very attractive, with large, but soft and expressive purplish-black eyes, and dark hair that extended nearly to her shoulders, framing her face, while a single bang escaped, laying lazily over her face, along with unblemished alabaster white skin. He could argue that she was definitely someone who took care of her appearance. Inwardly he blamed the years spent with Jiraya for such attention to detail when women were concerned. Appearance aside, her presence was... faint, much weaker then when he saw her just a few hours ago, something that 'gigai' she wanted was probably responsible for. He made a mental note to ask just what the hell a gigai was anyway.

He noticed the slightly saddened look on Orihime's face when she saw that Ichigo was looking at Rukia at one moment, only then realizing that the girl had a crush on the carrot-headed idiot, a fact that was apparently known to everyone but Ichigo... a situation mildly reminiscent of something he was in many years ago. If Ichigo was as dense as he suspected he was, he would probably never notice, most likely breaking her heart in the process.

His further musings on the situation would have to wait however, as just then the teacher enthusiastically walked in and immediately began the lecture.

_(11:55, Urahara shop)_

There were days when Jinta truly, _truly_ hated his life. It was safe to say that today was one of those. First, the TV broke down, then, he realized that his favorite manga was making an unplanned delay, likely to come out in a week or so. And last, but not least, Tessai was having him and Ururu cleaning the front of the store, and it was likely to rain in few hours anyway making the whole job pointless!

Like oh so many people, he spent his time muttering and wondering if the day could get any worse when he felt something land on his head. He slowly turned to Ururu, wondering what the hell did the timid girl do this time and almost started to yell at her, when he realized that she was five feet away from him, minding her own business. Now curious, he waved the hand that wasn't holding a broom over his head, only to come in contact with something soft and furry...

'_Wait, furry?_' he mentally wondered, as a tail appeared before his eyes, and a mild push signified that the furry presence on his head had departed. He turned to notice Tessai opening the doors and standing with a platter of milk ready for the black cat that was walking towards him.

"On time as always Yoruichi-san" Tessai spoke in his usual kind voice as he lowered the platter to the floor "Urahara-san should be waking in a few minutes"

Now, Jinta was sure he had seen everything. Even to a very spiritually aware person the sight of Tessai Tsukabishi, former commander of Seireitei's Kido Corps, talking to a cat like that was disturbing.

"You out of your mind old man?" he started, waving his finger in circles around his ear "Talking with cats... sheesh"

Tessai took the opportunity to whack him on the head for his 'disrespectful' behavior

"Be quiet. That cat is the only relative Kisuke has" he said in a stern, admonishing voice, which failed to impress the seriousness he wanted, bringing out a contained laugh from Jinta, and a sad look from Ururu.

"Poor Urahara-san, having only a cat left as a relative" she chanted in a genuinely concerned voice, as Jinta lost his control and rolled on the floor laughing.

Yoruichi in the mean time finished off the milk and strolled into the shop.

_(14:05, Roof of Karakura High School)_

One blink was the entire reaction Naruto gave to the dispelling of one of his clones, and the insane influx of information that came from it. After all, surveillance data for a quarter of the town was nothing to be laughed at. Still, it did nothing to dampen his mood, as the group once more ascended to the rooftop for the hour long lunch-break. The group had gained a new member in Rukia, and she was as easily accepted into the group as he was.

However, the situation was as unusual as ever, as there was a strange tension, as if everyone wanted to say something, but were afraid to do so. Conversation stuck to everyday subjects, but it was obvious that no one's heart was in it. Within ten minutes, the meals were eaten, but the ensuing silence gnawed on them all. Tired of it, Ichigo was the first to break the silence

"What's with you people? I've seen more cheer in a graveyard" he jokingly stated, still unaware that he was among the reasons for their distress

"Ano, did anyone else see something strange last night?" came the voice of surprisingly Orihime. Two faces immediately tensed up in concern, but both remained quiet.

"Come to think of it, something weird was going on last night" Keigo added "I could have sworn I saw a shadow running in the street. And there were strange claw-marks in the street!" he continued. Murmurs were breaking among the group. Orihime could have gotten things strangely after waking up, but two people at the same time?

"There was something on the my balcony too. A big shadow standing on the railing. And I could have sworn it turned and _snarled _at me" Mizuiro chipped in.

"I saw... something too" Tatsuki added, her formerly unconcerned face letting just a bit of her fear outside "A thing with _wings_ flying against the moon." then she turned to Naruto before continuing "And a strange, scarred blond man who cut it into nothingness with a katana of all things" she added.

It was now Naruto's turn to tense up. She had actually seen him as he was killing the Hollow? He had been there for but a split-second. And then there was that...

"Quiet down" he ordered. "Someone's coming, and I don't think this should be discussed here. Come over to my place tonight at say eight?" he offered, and the others nodded, after a variable amount of grumbling. The subject immediately changed to the usual chatter the roof doors opened and a group of ten other students walked in, each and every one of them armed, some with swords, others with chains and knives. A gang, Naruto concluded in annoyance. He really didn't have the time for this.

"That's the one" one of the newcomers stated, pointing at Tatsuki. "She's the one who beat up big bro."

The situation probably should have tensed up at that point... had Naruto and Ichigo not begun laughing, and had Chad not decided to get up. Instead, the other group tensed up as weapons were brought to bear

"Suki-chan, who did you beat up this time?" Ichigo asked while still laughing, pulling up his sleeves and generally looking ready for a fight.

"This time? You make it sound like the lady beats up people on a regular basis. Anyway, are these guys yakuza or something?" Naruto returned, a grin eerily reminiscent of a shark on his face, while behind them, Chad was just as ready.

"Let us have the bitch, and we'll let you go" the apparent leader, the one to whom Tatsuki was pointed out, stated, foolishly believing that he was actually going to intimidate them. Little did he know just what kind of a mess did he end up in.

"Yaks alright" Ichigo confirmed it, while Naruto's face darkened, a soft crunch coming from the flexing of his neck.

"Let you have the girl?" Naruto mockingly asked "Up for breaking some bones guys? I'd call you too Tatsuki-chan, but I think a few of us have some pent up aggression to let out" he commented, a thoroughly evil look on his face. The bastards actually had the gall to bring an army for one girl. Next to him, Chad grunted in agreement, while Ichigo flexed his muscles a bit, cracking his knuckles in anticipation.

'_Can't use the Lotus forms on these guys or I'll kill them, and bastards or not, that wold be too much._' Naruto irritatedly mused until he got a better idea, and the evil grin just got a bit worse. Right before he charged at them.

It felt good to have the rush of battle in his blood again, the fights with the hollows were a joke, as he simply did what he did best, speed kills, not giving his enemy a chance to react. This fight on the other hand..

He grinned wildly as the first swing actually _missed_, passing right beside him as he leaped, using the man's shoulders as a base, and pulling him into a throw, straight at his nearest friend.

Ichigo had already strategically placed a foot and a fist into the faces and tender parts of two others, while Chad... Chad simply waded into the fray, already taking out more than a few of them. Naruto was impressed, Chad may be a general pacifist, but when it came to protecting his friends, not even he was overly enthusiastic about fighting him.

In the background, the others stared at the three of them as they systematically dismantled the ten junior yakuza members, slightly concerned, though whether it was for the three of their friends or their enemies, it was somewhat hard to tell.

Tatsuki was impressed by both Ichigo and Sado's fighting skills, but Naruto's came as a surprise, further reassuring her that he was the guy she saw the night before. The strikes he made reminded her of her own sensei at the dojo, quick, fluid, but carefully measured and never excessive. The moves of an expert of hand to hand combat.

A minute later found the three of them sitting atop a pile of unconscious bodies. If the others didn't know just how well the trio fought, they probably would have been awestruck. Still, the group acted as if nothing happened, because after they dusted themselves off, pretty much noting was off, apart from a a pile of unconscious idiots behind them. Naruto had already made a mental note to track them to their apparent leader.. and to teach said leader a lesson in manners he wasn't going to forget soon.

"Thanks for standing up for me guys" Tatsuki thanked them, hanging herself from Ichigo and Naruto's shoulders, while giving Chad a slightly apologetic look.

"No problem" the giant responded.

"Yeah, it was our pleasure. Pricks need to learn how to behave around ladies" Naruto jokingly commented as they walked down, and into class. They still had the rest of the rather boring lectures to endure.

"We should seriously do something about those guys though" Ichigo commented. "You know they'll be back once her guard's down"

"What are you thinking?" Chad asked while brushing off a bit of dust from his shoulder

"I think I know where these clowns are from. Drop by, have a chat.. you know, the usual" he casually returned. "I know you don't want to fight, but I could use you there, okay?"

"Mind if I join?" Naruto offered

"The more the merrier" came the response

_(18:30, Naruto's apartment)_

They day passed quickly enough for Naruto from there on. But things had changed one more. He was to have guests in less than two hours. A short visit to one of the local stores provided him with drinks and snacks, though he was vaguely aware that unlike him, the others didn't drink alcohol, so sake was not an option. He had to admit that he was feeling tired, not just physically exhausted, but mentally and emotionally drained. It was waking much more than he expected to get used to all the weird customs of this new world, and things were so... so fluid and ever changing. With every passing moment, the bonds that once tied him to his hoe were breaking, slowly replaced by those he was building now.

He knew he would never forget his old home, nor all those he loved, but that did not mean he would forever live in the past. He had avenged them by killing the monster, and was now faced with the simple question of 'What then?'. It wasn't until he met this bunch of kids that his body stopped going on auto-pilot to survive, rather, his mind was slowly once more taking over as he was beginning to once more live. Today was indeed an important day, for so many reasons.

He casually greeted the old landlady, climbing up the stairs slowly. He had no reason to rush right now, much to his own surprise, a he was used to a life that never stopped to take a breather, sprinting rather than walking.

His own thoughts clouded over the short ascent as he fumbled to dig out the keys to his home, pleased that the wards he had placed weren't disturbed by anyone, and making a small motion over the control seal in his pocket to lower them before entering. He knocked off his shoes, silently flipping a shuriken with his toes into the light switch, chasing away the shadows before laying the paper bag on the table nearby. He would have to collect it later on.

The clones had done a perfect job of preparing the home to his liking over the day he spent in school. There weren't any obvious changes, but the sheer amount of what was hidden away from sight was enough. A plethora of storage seals joined the security wards, each of them containing weapons or tools he had with him. And thanks to a master control seal he added to the small metallic plate he held in his pocket, it was an easy thing to pull them all out instantly away from the apartment without having to walk inside. Make your home a fortress, but don't forget that others could conquer it and use it against you.

"Report" he quietly ordered, and instantly, a single shadow flickered into existence next to him

"All sectors under surveillance, a total seventy five drop points have been established throughout the area, five safe houses have been established and supplied, Sir!"

"Dismissed" he returned, and the shadow instantly vanished, it's task done. He was just about to sit down and relax with a can of something new... namely beer, when the buzzer on his door sounded.

"Oh what now? Can't a man enjoy his drink in peace?" he cursed as he walked to the door, and opened it.

"Hello Naruto-kun" came the voice of a person he wasn't overly interested in seeing right now.

"What is it Urahara?" he tiredly answer, just a hint of his annoyance slipping. Still, he looked different, until he realized that Urahara was dressed differently. Black lacquered shoes, dark brown dress pants, a dark, blood red shirt and a beige coat over it, along with a white hat replacing the normal bucket, green stripped one. The usual fan and cane were gone, the hair was still wild, a single blond bang, split at the end falling over his nose. He seemed like a young member of a more prominent family, or would have if the face didn't reveal a man of far greater experience. He also noted a bag in one of his hands

However it was the person that was accompanying him that made him interested.

"And here I come to invite you to a dinner" Kisuke jokingly stated "But before that, allow me to introduce you to someone." he gestured to the dark-skinned woman next to him. She piqued his interest. Tall, and downright gorgeous on so many levels. Dressed in black pants, a short, black shirt and jacket that ended just over her belly-button, while accentuating her generous bosom, and pure purple hair tied into a long pony-tail falling to her waist, something that seemed rather rare around here. But it wasn't those that truly made her attractive... it was the face. Delicate features of a princess contorted into a purely impish grin, oh so much similar to the one he carried at times, and a pair of deep golden eyes.

Still, as a veteran shinobi, he knew better than to assume that she was helpless. The lithe body moved with a preternatural grace scarily reminiscent of a car stalking her prey, while the barely sensible signature spoke of just how much of her actual power she was concealing.

It was a curious thing about energy signatures. A beginner could only tell the level of energy visible, an expert would have the detection range widely expanded, but a master? He could figure out roughly how much power you were hiding. It was only a rough estimate, but if anything, it spoke of a power nearly equaling his own.

"Naruto Uzumaki, meet Shihoin Yoruichi, she will be accompanying us for the evening."

It was at that moment that Urahara noticed the first, _real_ indication of just why Naruto was proclaimed the Sixth Fire Shadow, as a glare saturated with killing intent burned a hole through him. Within a moment, he saw his death a thousand times, in a thousand grizzly manners. And a moment later, it was gone... if there wasn't cold sweat gathering on the back of his neck, he might have thought that it was something else. It was then he noticed that Naruto's features had softened, at least slightly as he turned to face Yoruichi, standing in a half-bow, and kissing her hand

"Charmed" he softly stated, earning a contained smile from the woman. "Come in" he gestured as he turned, and walked off to prepare something to drink. Leaving the two of them alone in the living room.

"So, what do you think?" Kisuke quietly asked his companion.

"He's interesting, I'll give you that. And that glare he gave you must have been something to make you shiver like that" she explained, a barely visible tone of excitement visible "But that stuff you were talking about earlier... _that_ I'll buy when I see it"

"If I can persuade him" he added in a much more serious tone. "I know I can't get to it anymore and I don't want to risk you going alone."

"And you think he'll make a good partner?" she asked, a soft snort escaping her lips "You really think some brat can keep up with me?"

Now, it was Kisuke's turn to grin.

"He broke your record. Two dozen in less then a tenth of a second" he dropped her the bomb, bringing a completely shocked look from her. "Surprised? I haven't told you everything about him, and I doubt I know even a tenth. He's not exactly forthcoming"

"Any you trust him because?" she asked, her interest piqued as well. Kisuke wasn't a fool, the way he lived, a fool would have been long dead.

"I'm not sure" he answered, right as Naruto returned with a number of saucers and a fine bottle of sake "But something tells me he's on our side as long as we're on his, right Naruto?"

The face was still hardened at him

"You do realize I'm supposed to have guests? In other words, exactly what did you do since I parted ways with them?" he asked, voice every bit a cold as the glare had been but minutes ago. He was growing angry.

"I've taken the liberty of replacing their memories of last night. Just as I tried this morning , but it originally failed most likely thanks to their growing spiritual awareness" he started "And before you skewer me, hear me out."

A barely perceptible nod was his only answer, as Naruto placed the small saucers in front of them, pouring the clear whitish liquid into them.

"Last night was a... nightmare at best" he stated "Things like that don't happen naturally. Someone used a piece of Soul Bait, and the only people that I know to have it are accounted for. What's worse, my every attempt to locate the party or parties responsible has failed then. At this point them becoming spiritually aware would attract a growing number of Hollows, and very likely a number of Shinigami would be sent after them sooner or later. Soul Society isn't overly fond of outsiders meddling in their business. While I disagree with the practice, at this point I lack the resources to stop such a thing from happening, so I did the only thing that could be done... I delayed it. It's not like you would have taken it on yourself to train them in stealth and control, right?" he stated, utterly sure of his own judgment of the situation. Naruto's posture softened considerably as Kisuke's eyes widened. He realized that he had miscalculated and committed a blunder, one that wouldn't come without a cost.

"I would" he returned right before he downed the saucer, the sharp, brisk feeling of the sake burning his throat. Regardless of the three years he had been drinking it, it never failed to give the pleasant sensation.

"I..." Urahara tried, but was cut off immediately.

"Don't. I know what you wanted to do. While I don't agree with it, I understand." he answered him. Outside of the of the conversation, Yoruichi was studying the young man before her. His movements, his actions, his stance. Everything about him screamed power, the only thing she couldn't read were his emotions and the driving force behind him. In many aspects he reminded her of a sleeping tiger. Nice on the eyes, all cute and harmless, until he gets pissed off.

She remained quiet though, and merely drank the sake she was offered.

"Sigh... now what about that dinner? Since I'm not hosting a party, I might as well go."

"Ah, good. I almost forgot." Kisuke instantly calmed down, a skill he acquired over years of practice no doubt "To put things simply, I am not only concerned by matters within Soul Society. An... acquaintance of mine has acquired something interesting and is willing to sell it."

"I fail to see the problem there. I doubt you came to me for money" Naruto interrupted, a slightly quirked eyebrow the only sign of his interest.

"I was getting to that... the object is a Hollow Bait" he added in a serious tone. The atmosphere immediately changed.

"What's the plan?" Naruto fired out.

"You and I will be tracking him after the dinner." she spoke, making a sultry grin "And guess what, you're supposed to go with me as my date for the night." she teased, but was caught completely off guard by the smile that spread over the blond's face.

"It's been a while since I did any covert work, even this light. This ought to be fun, especially going out with such a _fun_ girl. I assume that those would be the clothes for me?"

Kisuke gave a short nod, putting the bag on the table, and pulling out a set of rather comfortable looking clothes.

"How much time have I got before we have to go?" he asked, never raising his eyes from the clothes in his hands.

"About thirty minutes." Yoruichi quickly answered, growing ever more interested in how the night would turn out.

"Just enough." Naruto answered, putting everything down.

Both guests remained silent, following the blond's actions. Naruto was perfectly calm though, a he proceeded to do what he intended, an act that he believed was needed, both for him and for those who were no longer with him. From the paper bag he brought, he pulled out a small bowl, and along it a bag of sand. Walking over to the window, he just slightly opened it and placed the bowl on the ledge, immediately filling it with sand. The next action was strange to them, he casually pulled out a strange shaped dagger an proceeded to cut his palm, letting a number of blood drops fall into it, before a low voiced chant began sounding

"_To those who have come before,_

_I make this offering in blood._

_To those who gave up their all_

_I salute their courage_

_And swear to never forget_"

He finished the chant, pulling out five sticks of incense and stabbing them into the sand, using a small flicker of fire chakra to light them each, making one small, final bow.

The audience remained silent as he walked off with the clothes, never speaking a word, a look of sadness, but peace on him.

A few minutes later, he walked back out, to a rather appreciative whistle from Yoruichi. He was dressed in black dress pants, along with a dark gray shirt and a dark crimson coat over it. The clothing fit perfectly, or maybe a bit too perfectly as Naruto realized it was skin-tight on some places, but still reasonably comfortable.

To the sole present woman the sight was pleasing, as the clothes accentuated everything attractive about his body. The strong, chiseled muscles were easy to see flexing under the shirt and pants, while the jacket and shirt revealed just enough skin to be considered tasteful, showing off some of the more artistic tattoos the man wore. And the face topped it all, a jovial if confident smirk and a pair of eyes ready to stare a hole in concrete.

"I am not going to ask how you knew the measurements. It's just plain scary to think about it" he jokingly stated, pulling out the necklace he was wearing over the shirt.

"Hey there good lookin'" Yoruichi purred at his appearance, while Kisuke shook his head with a small smile, the hat covering his eyes.

"See something you like?" he asked teasingly

"Will you two kids stop flirting for a moment? You have the entire night ahead of you." he commented as he placed both hands in his pockets, and walked to the door, opening it, and turning just enough to give a look from one revealed eye.

"Well?"

Naruto would never learn, but that night, his presence changed the course of history.

The well-dressed trio walked out the door, Urahara in the lead, with Naruto and Yoruichi walking behind like a couple, hands snaked around each others waists. Even if it was a deception, neither really minded, even if nothing further were to happen. Good fun was after all, good fun. If Naruto was surprised by the two cars in front of them, he failed to comment it. Urahara took the black one, a fancy sports car, and drove off first, while Yoruichi took the driver's seat of the second, and Naruto followed in. He copied her moves of tying the safety belt around him, right before they went of into the night.

_(21:00, Ichigo's room)_

"It's for the best" Rukia spoke. She was doing her best to convince Ichigo that the replacement of his friends memories of the hollow attack last night was a good idea... even if she herself wasn't completely certain of it... to many questions remained unanswered.

"I know." he snarled, slamming his fist into the wall" But I don't have to like it though. They have a right to know if they're going to be targets"

An uncomfortable silence descended between them, neither having anything to really say to that.

"Look, let's just get some sleep and see what happens tomorrow, okay?" Rukia weakly offered. Taking one long look at her, he tiredly sighed, and nodded, laying down his head on the pillow beneath it. He wasn't in the mood for sleeping, he was in the mood for answers, mostly the ones he couldn't get at this point, and the sheer tension was keeping him awake. He had the rotten feeling something was going to happen tonight, but he didn't know what.

A sudden beeping answered that question.

"Hollow!" came the predictable shout after it. Well, if he couldn't get any answers, he could at least let out his pent up aggression. He placed himself comfortably, awaiting for Rukia to use her weird red glove to separate his Shinigami soul from his body.

"No lazing about Kurosaki!" she whispered the warning, just as she grabbed his soul, rapidly pulling it out. It was going to be a long night. How the hell did he get into this job again?

* * *

**Author's notes:** For starters, sorry for a somewhat shorter chapter than the two before it, while I planned for a longer one, I've decided to skip a few things and leave them for future chapters

On other subjects, such as for instance Naruto's Radiance

Radiance - Naruto's unique skill. Projects a large, thin sphere of chakra, with dimensions varying between ten and a two hundred meters. Within that sphere, the space is slowly saturated with chakra to a certain point, still bellow the detection capabilities of everyone under elite jounin levels (from Narutoverse), and he is granted another sense. It works along a similar principle to the way a bat's sonar works, however, it looks from all directions. and in small detail. Combined with his detection skills it provides an absolute field of vision around him. The other part of the skill is the fact that within that thin bubble around him is a massive amount of chakra evenly spread over a large volume, essentially working like an outside extension of himself, which in turn opens the way to a number of special skills for him.

That's the bit I wanted to add. Ah, and I'll use the next chapter to post Naruto's skill level profile.

Regardless, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, read and reviews ladies and gents :P


	4. Hunter

**Author's Ramblings: **And yes ladies and germs, here's the new, long-awaited chapter of A Demon Among Reapers for you to enjoy!

*Phew* I needed to get the crazy part out of my system. Anyho, this one took a ridiculous amount of time to write down, as my muse is being as fickle and capricious as ever... what else is new :P

Regardless, a few details. First, I've gone against writing a whole arc, and decided to put it down to one chapter of interesting events. Along with that, there will be a change in the storyline considering how Ichigo and Uryuu met, along with a few other choice details.

And finally you'll get a demonstration of Naruto's skills.

Oh, and one more thing

"Talking normally" - human, shinigami talk

"_Talking weirdly_" - Hollows and Naruto under White Wraith mask

"**Scary people" - **I think in this case name says it all :P

_'Thinking' – _likewise

All others will be introduced at a later date :D

And now, without further ado, on to the chapter!

* * *

_Chapter 4 : Hunter_

_(20:00, Downtown Tokyo)_

Naruto remained suspiciously quiet for most of their journey. Though he didn't show it, his mind was busy going through the insane influx of new information. Tokyo was a far different place than any he encountered before. Sure, Konoha had a night life, though it tended to be a bit more malevolent than here, it was still comparatively dead once you saw something like this. There were _thousands_ of people walking about, buildings easily dwarfing any he had ever seen, cars, which originally surprised him, in great numbers...

She watched him from the side, eyes darting for a split second to him before returning to the road ahead. She understood, as she had seen the look in more than a few of the younger, less experienced Shinigami when they first came to visit the world of the living. The surprise, the exhilaration, the confusion... the wild mixture of emotions as a person began to adapt to a completely different world.

"A bit overwhelming, isn't it?" Yoruichi offered, breaking him out of his trance

"Uhm.. it is. Everything seems so, so..." he trailed off, lacking a word

"Big? I know" came the completion. Naruto merely nodded.

"How did you get used to it?"

"I didn't have to... well, at least not in the same way as you have to." she commented, letting out a soft, sad sigh at the end of it.

"Sorry for bringing up bad memories" Naruto quietly said as he turned his eyes to the woman he was apparently going out to dinner with. She merely chuckled

"Nah... it's fine. Though I'd prefer to talk about something more cheerful"

"I hear ya... since you're the expert, where are we going?" Naruto shifted the subject

"Urahara and his plans" Yoruichi muttered, slightly annoyed that Kisuke Urahara pulled his usual stunt and told about a third of what needed to be said. "It's a place in downtown Tokyo, situated atop a skyscraper. Good food, fine drinks and one hell of a view" she described with flair, her bright smile glistening in the darkness of the car.

"Sounds good." he muttered, eyes turning away to look at the passing landscape.

"What was it like, where you come from?" she asked, a note of genuine curiosity present in her voice_._

"Aren't you the curious one" Naruto retorted, earning him a pout from the woman sitting next to him. "It was... different, and not that much different at the same time. It was harsher at times, but always beautiful. Less populated" he trailed off for a moment, the light of a passing street lamp illuminating a longing face. He really didn't know why he was feeling so talkative today "As shinobi, we were forced to adapt on a daily basis, the danger of someone coming to take all we held dear ever-looming. A friend of mine used to say 'We live in shadows so that others could walk in the light'." he added, a light sigh escaping

"That doesn't sound like much of a life" Yoruichi sullenly commented"And it reminds me of my own _former_ job... just with a complete lack of benefits"

"Yeah... mostly." he chuckled "Though, it did have it's perks. I got to travel a lot, I met a lot of people I never would have otherwise, I've seen and done things that were the stuff of dreams... and if I didn't become a ninja, I would not have gotten the time I spent with my family. Besides, you've been quite tight-lipped about your own profession."

"Shinigami." she shortly answered him, an enigmatic smile covering her lips.

"You're no fun" he sent back in annoyance, both of them erupting into laughter, before a comfortable silence descended. They were but a few minutes away from the restaurant, the tall, dark glass building rising up above them.

_(20:30, Karakura town, Park)_

"It should be somewhere around here" Rukia calmly stated, eyes locked on the small cellphone/hollow tracker.

"Yeah? I don't see a hollow anywhere." Ichigo snapped. He was tired and annoyed as hell. The day was officially screwed, and now, while he accepted the hunting of hollows as his duty, he seriously needed one to let loose for a while. And what happens? No hollows in sight. "You sure that gadget of yours even works?"

"I know it works!" she shot back from his shoulders "Another one! It's near the school!"

Grumbling, Ichigo kept running, now changing his direction again.

"Like the last two?" he muttered, only to be soundly smacked on the head

"Less talking, more running!" Rukia ordered. Inwardly, she was concerned, but she didn't want him to worry more than necessary. She had thought that the communicator had malfunctioned, but the rapid appearance and disappearance of hollows meant one thing: someone was killing them. And since she was the only Shinigami currently stationed here, it meant that unless Urahara or Naruto were working out, there was trouble, as she wasn't aware of any other being that could take them out so quickly.

"What the...?" she heard Ichigo speak "Rukia, look? What the hell is that?" he pointed to something in front of them. Rukia focused her eyes on the distant sight of a figure clad in white, with a large bow made of bluish energy, standing right in front of a massive hollow. A single arrow was released from the bow, instantly killing the hollow, and the figure vanished into the night.

She knew what the person was, she had heard the stories back in Soul Society. She'd even met one during her time in the Rukongai districts. A single word that now worried her more than she'd care to admit, and one she was certain would bring yet another headache.

"Quincy" she muttered in a low voice.

_(20:30, Downtown Tokyo, The Scale)_

The sight was a nice one, many of the passersby would agree. The young man walking with a calm, but solid step, elegantly dressed, arm held in a gentle manner for the beautiful dark-skinned woman accompanying him to hold.

"You spoke highly of this place dear" he offered in a kind tone as the duo passed by the security in front of the private elevator that lead to the top floor, where the high class club/restaurant known as 'The Scale' was located.

"Uhm" she confirmed "It's the best place in town. You'll just love the food. And the wine! Ahhh " she mused on, acting like a young high society girl with her boyfriend. The moves were well rehearsed on both sides, though it came naturally. Naruto was used to acting since he was a little kid, and Yoruichi was an expert with decades, if not centuries worth of experience.

"Guess we'll just have to try..." he trailed off, a content smile as he offered a nod to the pair of large security guys as they entered the elevator. Both noted the camera inside, and kept their act going.

One of the facts, Naruto noted, that apparently didn't change regardless of the reality you found yourself in was that elevator music was something horrifying. The elevator moved at great speed, reaching the top floor in less than two minutes, the loud trance music rapidly overlapping the far quieter sound of elevator.

"Ready?" Yoruichi spoke, voice barely above a whisper. Naruto nodded in turn, putting a hand around Yoruichi in a possessive way as the door opened and the two of them walked out.

Naruto remained stoic as he was assaulted by a veritable wave of sensations. Sound, sight and smell, those three senses were overwhelmed by the sheer influx of information directed at them. Compared to an actual battlefield insertion, it was a joke. As long as there wasn't an Mist death-squad on his case, he sure as hell could handle it. One of the inner security immediately approached them

"Uzumaki, we have a reservation" he spoke, voice just loud enough to be heard by the rather nondescript suit who nodded, pulled out a phone, and checked something. A second later, and another nod, he proceeded to guide them to a table along the rim of the place... Urahara had done his job perfectly. Naruto took the opportunity granted by their walk to take a look at the place, using it to cover his search for him. He spotted him within seconds, and noted the appearance of the person he was sitting with, right before continuing his scan, having stopped for but a second.

"What do you think we should drink?" he asked in a relaxed voice, giving off no signs of what he was doing.

"I'd suggest the wine, it's what the place is famous for, among other things" Yoruichi returned, just as he pulled back a chair for her to sit down "Ever the gentlemen.." she softly commented as he seated himself on the opposite side.

Mere moments later, a young, rather appealingly dressed waitress showed up to take their orders. True to his will, Naruto paid her looks little heed, showing obvious interest to his partner. He felt a slight pang in his heart at the thought. Partner, that was something he didn't have in a long time, but he found that he didn't mind. She was clever, and every bit as skilled as she seemed. The conversation they had scant minutes ago was more of a probe on her account, though he had a feeling that she accepted working with him because Kisuke recommended him. There was an almost obvious connection between the two, though what, he was unsure as of yet. He was far too uninformed to draw conclusions. He was also somewhat aware of a similar train of thoughts running behind those golden yellow eyes siting opposite of him. Well, two could play at _that_ game. He wasn't named the leader of a fully fledged organization of assassins and spies for nothing.

"You seem tense again" she tried, the same catlike smirk on her face. Naruto returned with his fox grin.

"Oh, just wondering what the food's like" he smoothly lied, and waited for the reaction. Would she call him on it? Or would she let it drop..

"Really?" the smile just got a thousand times worse

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the other side of the room Urahara held a similar smile on him. Saiden Tokaru was a clever little man, but not clever enough, and he had no doubt that Yoruichi and Naruto would have fun tracking him. The fool had the gall to sell hollow bait as a specialized _Hunter-killer_ weapon. Just insert a bit of your victim and break it.

'_It's a clever ruse... it's nearly impossible to prove it exists to the authorities, and since it's under the radar of Soul Society, it goes by perfectly. Until the fool that bought it uses it and summons the __Hollows. But what could be the objective? Simply sowing chaos would be meaningless_' he mused on as he crossed wills with the man in front of him

He had a long list of reasons for pairing those two up against this guy. Quite contrary to popular opinion (and a rather large betting pool that was gathered amongst various officers back in Soul Society), to Urahara she was the closest thing he had to a sister, someone who had done so much for him, someone he would kill for without a moment's regret. Someone he wanted to see happy. Kisuke wasn't the type for sappy nonsense, he was calm, collected and very calculated. Call it a consequence of his years of cloak-and-dagger work. But he was also very protective of those close to him, in his own weird way. He would throw you into the sea to teach you to swim... but only if he believed you were capable of it. He wasn't the type to take needless risks.

But back to the subject at hand, he had paired them up first and foremost because he didn't want Yoruichi working without backup and because he wanted to see if the kid was any good. Also, there was the fact that he liked Naruto, from what little he could have seen of him. If nothing more, he seemed immune to Yoruichi's teasing, and would likely make a good friend.

"We are in agreement then" Saiden spoke, interrupting one of the trains of through going through his head

"Hai. One hundred thousand in gold." Kisuke answered. The bait was set. "When and where do we make the exchange?"

"Tomorrow at dawn. There's a large park in a nearby town called Karakura. I'll be waiting there" Saiden explained, right before he got up, throwing a few bills on the table to cover his part of the bill, and failed to see the smile that crossed Kisuke's face as he tipped his hat down. He realized that there was something strange about the man, and the warning he gave would be heeded

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"There's the signal. You think we can spare a minute more to enjoy the wine?" Naruto offered, bringing another whimsical smile from his companion, as he raised his hand to call the waitress. And a minute passed in complete silence, as the two waited.

"Got something in mind?" she asked, pulling the elegantly shaped glass for another sip. The wine was indeed exquisite, a warm, sharp taste that left the tongue slightly tingling as it went down.

"Yeah..." Naruto offered, pulling out enough money to pay for their drinks along with a little extra, before getting up. "Follow me."

Neither the cameras nor the people watching them would never notice the fact that two figures seemingly disappeared from plain sight while walking towards the bathroom.

Their figures materialized onto the closed off rooftop of the building. The relatively warm summer air kept the howling wind bearable.

"Do you see him?"

"Yeah, there's the car down there" Naruto responded, flexing his arms and hands, finally proceeding to his fingers

"So how are we getting down?" Yoruichi curiously asked.

"Grab onto my back and hold tight" he quietly ordered, a crazy grin covering his face. Yoruichi did as she was asked to, no signs of alarm or uncertainty as Naruto took a step back.

"Ready?" he asked, voice laden with joy. His only response was a wide smile, right before he charged and leaped off the building, headfirst into the night.

He loved it, the liberating feeling of a free fall without the fear of death. The true freedom that existed within that moment when the winds howled with him as he descended towards the earth, staring death in the eyes with a crazy grin on his face

She couldn't believe it. The guy was crazy enough to actually jump of the roof, with her on his back to boot. She didn't doubt he had _something_ in mind, but all conscious thought stopped when she heard his voice

"_Let go_"

And let go she did, all her fears and inhibitions, experiencing the same pleasure as he did from the liberating thrill of weightlessness. There were no special skills used to create it, no advanced forms of movement. It was... beautiful to her.

And then it happened. In mid-flight, Naruto began turning until he was parallel to the earth before extending his arms and hands in a way eerily reminiscent of claws, Faint traces of purplish energy began trailing from them, leaving long, thin ribbons behind as he stabbed his fingers into the very air around them, slightly slowing down and changing their direction, effectively gliding on nothing towards a nearby roof

"Has anyone ever told you how crazy you are?" Yoruichi shouted over the wind, still laughing uncontrollably

"Yeah, ten times a day!" he shouted back just as they slowed down enough to land. The hunt was just about to begin.

"Catch" she offered, throwing a small gray plastic earpiece.

"Comms?" he asked, earning a quick nod in turn.

"The target has started to move. Let's go" she quickly ordered "If you're good, I might just have to take you on another hunt" she jokingly commented, a slight smirk on her lips as she flashed away.

"Crazy woman" Naruto muttered with a smile before doing the same.

He had to admit, it felt good to work again. There was no more world to save, no arch nemesis to defeat... no family to protect. There were friends he was growing to care for, even if he knew them for but a few days. He felt his mind enter what he many times jokingly called mission mode, face settling into an emotionless mask as everything but the job ahead bleed away from his consciousness, mind working on it's fullest to analyze the impressive sensual readout his body produced, to plot, plan and execute ten moves ahead of the next. Hands moved quickly, unsealing a number of weapons and using faint traces of chakra to attach the assorted kunai, senbon needles and shuriken to various parts of the body, nearly invisible beneath the jacket sleeves and pants.

The car was kept in constant sight as he concealed himself beneath the veil of a jutsu his mentor of old taught him. No one would see him as he moved, a mere gust of wind in the blackness of the night.

He couldn't catch neither sound nor sight of Yoruichi anywhere, barely catching a very, very faint signature as it jumped from place to place... a true testament to her skills, and to the damage to his own from the battle he fought, though he would be more inclined to believe the first.

_(21:30, Urahara Shop)_

Kisuke knew full well that the chase was still on. He needed to do his part of the job for tonight. The contact and the tail have been set, and now the true hunt could begin. He had given the others a free night to do as they wished, even though Tessai asked more than once if he needed his help.

What he intended for tonight was better left unseen. Tessai was a specialist in Kido, the path of demons, and that by default, was flashier than he could afford, even if spiritually unaware people wouldn't be able to see or sense it. Jinta and Ururu were out of the question.

While most of the normal shinigami used just a few weapons, or more likely just one, he wasn't nearly as squeamish or foolish. The tools he had prepared would do good. The large bandaged package he had prepared would be all he needed for the night. That is, until he felt it happen. Or more accurately, heard it.

_(21:15, Karakura Town, Warehouse along the town border )_

All roads apparently lead to Karakura town, Naruto mused as they kept following the car. He was growing increasingly curious as to why this place was so interesting.

Their target had finally stopped his car in front of a large warehouse along the borders of the town, situated at some distance from any other building, leaving the area surrounding it void of life... if someone wanted to pick a place for a battlefield, this would be the ideal choice.

"_This stinks of a trap."_ came the female voice over the radio

"Yeah. I doubt there was a better place to pick for a fight" he responded. He chose the location he was standing at, the corner of the flat roof about twenty meters off the ground. He got used to following Yoruichi's signature after about fifteen minutes, and he was _sure_ that she kept it steady for him to follow.

"What do we do now?" he asked, curious to know just what they had in store for the night. A full frontal assault was never a good idea

"_Wait for reinforcements.._" came the answer, which he immediately interpreted as 'Urahara & Co'. Who else would be crazy enough to come? And wait they did, both keeping to their corner of the night, both tensed up and ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

She had to admit, the kid was something. Just what yet remained to be seen though. Her position was aptly picked, overlooking the warehouse from the opposite side, in regards to Naruto's position. She had seen the position he chose. He was either very smart and very fast, or an idiot. Her opinion leaned to the former on this subject.

"What the hell...?" Naruto muttered as he felt a pulse of energy come from the warehouse "Did you feel that?" he asked over the comm.

"_Yeah. No clue what it was tho..."_ any further communication was interrupted by static... though Naruto didn't need to guess why, as the warehouse in front of him exploded. He stared for a split second in shock, before his figure vanished from it's perch, moving closer to the now burning building.

Just as he drew close, he felt it again, a strong pulse of energy coming from inside. It felt sickeningly vile, and Naruto realized that it was actually making him feel slightly dizzy, for a few seconds at least.

"_Naruto get the hell away from the fire, FAST!" _Yoruichi shouted to him over the radio, and he reacted just in time to jump over a massive, but nearly bone thin claw that swiped at him from the fire.

The claw immediately retreated into the fire, just as Yoruichi flashed into existence net to him. He hated to admit it, but he was surprised. He almost hadn't seen it coming

"What was that thing?A hollow?" he asked, body ready to react at the slightest provocation.

"Likely, just be careful. Just because a hollow doesn't have much power doesn't mean it can't kill you" Yoruichi added, all senses locked in on the warehouse. Naruto made a short grunt in understanding. The two immediately leaped to the side as another clawed hand ascended from the ground, tearing up the concrete to shreds, and threatening to do the same to them.

Naruto landed a few feet a way on all fours, left hand quickly moving over his back and unsealing the Song of the Wind, it's bluish sheathed form materializing over him. Whoever the enemy was, he kept surprisingly silent, and not one of his senses could pick him up, meaning he was either invisible to him, or that he was under the ground, and neither option was overly good. They had been tricked into combat, and he was foolish enough to catch the bait.

He felt it again, just a moment before the claw attacked once more, but this time it appeared from a broken lamp post of all things.

_'So it's not attacking directly' _he mused, dodging another claw swipe, and cutting through the arm. The hand helplessly fell to the floor, only to sink into the ground... and strike again, with a small scar where he had cut it just seconds later.

_'Unless I find the body and mask, I can cut it up all I want apparently' _he thought, as he noticed Yoruichi using only her hands and feet to break apart the claw that was coming at her. She seemed to be unconcerned, while he was getting annoyed.

"That's freaking enough" he spoke in a cold voice, resealing the blade and unsealing Quicksilver. While the Song was a faster weapon, he needed raw firepower for what he had in mind. He waited for the moment the claw retreated back into the ground before he started

"**Dance of Ruin**" he intoned, as a shell of brown to black energy began swirling around the blade **"Hammer of the Gods" **he finished, slamming the blade into the ground beneath him just as the arm drew closer. A loud crack resounded, as fractures spread out from the point of impact. Within a moment, the ground crumbled under his feet in a wide radius, just as he planned. And soon enough he noticed what he was looking for, the snarling face of the bastard who had been annoying him for a while now, even if it was merely five seconds. It's body was strangely spider-like, two large arms extended towards it's potential victims while six legs kept the body moving, and a body that could be described as humanoid only in the vaguest sense of the word.. The hollow had been stranded out of the protective cover of earth, and was an ideal target for another, painful attack. He snarled, letting out a deep, guttural sound as he vanished and reappeared at the edge of the collapsed area, blade once more bloodied, and the hollow beneath him screamed, right before turning into nothingness.

"Well that was annoying" he stated to his 'partner'.

"I don't think we're through yet. That thing was too stupid to organize this or to plan an attack like this one." Yoruichi commented, flashing to his location. As if to confirm her suspicions, the sound of hands clapping came from the fire

"_Nicely done_" came a voice to follow the clapping "_And here I thought I was going to get away easily._" the figure spoke. Naruto took his time studying this one. It seemed human, if it weren't for a couple of details. The body was completely white, made of what seemed to be bleached bone matter, impossibly tall for a man. The limbs were thin,and ended in clawed hands with very long fingers, spikes extending from both elbows and wrists. The torso was no better, a segmented skeletal armor covering the interior, if there even was one, and the legs were similar in structure to the arms, spiked at the knees and heels. The entirety of the torso was wrapped in a pale, tattered gray cloak, revealing it's hollow hole on the middle of the chest every few moments, as the cloak flew on the wind. But perhaps the most disturbing part was the head., as it was scarily reminiscent of his own mask, having nothing but pale skin behind it. But there was something else, his presence was nearly undetectable to Naruto, and he soon realized why. It wasn't that the hollow was invisible, but that the area was saturated with various energies, and that interfered with every attempt to locate him. Clever bastard

"_That was a rather astute assessment, shinigami, I am quite honored to face such an intelligent enemy. You will make a fine addition to my collection_" he spoke in a cold, but arrogant voice "_And you boy, I will enjoy devouring your interesting soul_" he added, gesturing with his thin fingers. Naruto was unimpressed.

"Yoruichi, is this guy retarded or something?" he bluntly asked, keeping a calm face as he waited for a reaction, but none came

"He does come off as a bit arrogant for an Adjuchas" she offered back with a smirk "What do you think?"

"That high? Sheesh, and here I thought he was the usual garden variety perverted prick with a stick up his ass" Naruto chimed back, seemingly oblivious to the growing annoyance of the Hollow before them. He barely batted an eyelash when he raised his hand, and a another hollow rose from the ground, a number of strings attached to it extending back to the other one's hand.

"_Among my kin I am called the Puppeteer shinigami fools. By the end of this night you will both have joined my collection of puppets" _he spoke, and moved his left hand, the strings attached to it forcing the dog-like hollow to move forward, and prepare for attack, while the other hand raised a small disk, reminiscent of a ceremonial offering "_I assume you both know what this is?_" the Puppeteer mockingly offered as the mask twisted into a sneer.

"Hollow bait" Yoruichi muttered, and Naruto nodded. This was no longer a joke, and both understood that.

"_Exactly, but this is my own personal variety. Recognize him?" _he added, and a figure walked out of the rubble. Naruto immediately recognized him as the man who was dining with Urahara, Saiden Tokaru, and the entire situation was made clear.

"A setup from the start, wasn't it" he voiced the doubts that now inhabited both his and Yoruichi's thoughts. Clever bastard indeed. Naruto decided it was no longer the time to mess around, and dropped the relaxed mask he had been wearing for the past few minutes. He had fought a puppeteer before, and it was no enemy to be underestimated. While he doubted that this hollow was anywhere near the level of the true master he had fought, it was still reason for concern. Still, Naruto smiled. He had one hell of an ace up his sleeve.

"Yoruichi, would you mind giving me the battle?" he asked, taking the moment to reseal Quicksilver.

The woman merely chuckled, and prepared herself to cover him. She could defeat the enemy without much trouble, but the hassle he could create with that piece of hollow bait was more trouble than it was worth, and she was keen on seeing just how good Naruto was in a fight

"I hope you are ready Puppeteer, as what you are about to see is an honor very few have had the bad luck of experiencing." Naruto stated as he began walking towards him, arms first moving to stretch a bit, then placed together, palm to palm in the level of his neck. He pulsed his chakra a few times, and he began separating it into it's components. Hands moved at great speed, striking consecutive pressure points on his own body, forcing a change in the flow of his internal energies.

Yoruichi shuddered as she felt his presence _grow._ Apparently, the energies that hid him were no longer mixing so well.

"Opening of the Twin Mirror _Lotus"_ Naruto spoke, his voice gradually changing. The feeling was exquisite, just as he remembered it. And then he vanished. The Puppeteer moved to crush the bait, only to find his hand gripping thin air.

"_Looking for this fool?_" came the cold voice from right behind him. There was no anger, no real malice in the voice. There was only death.

"_Prime" _he heard, as a quick jab struck one of his puppets. "_Break!_"

And break it did, as crystalline spikes emerged from it's body, staying there for a moment before breaking apart, along with the Hollow..

The Puppeteer quickly turned back to him, a ball of energy charging itself in front of the mouth of the mask.

"_Cero" _he spoke and the ball turned into a ray of red energy that near instantly extended to the place Naruto's body was supposed to be, only to once more hit nothing. A thousand strings extended from his body, pulling out a veritable army of hollows, consisting of no less than fifty varied creatures.

"_Is that all?" _Naruto's voice echoed as his figure materialized in front of him, along with a hundred more, the imposing forms of the White Wraith bearing down on the controlled Hollows _"I had expected more of a challenge. Soul Crush!" _he shouted, stabbing his glowing hand through the Hollow in a quick motion. The energy dissipated after the strike, the clones having done the same to the others and dispelled themselves. Naruto smirked as his mask and coat were resealed.

"_How? You were so weak a few minutes ago_" the Puppeteer asked

"It's simple, you are all used to seeing just one component of my energy, combined with the other, it's completely invisible. The Twin Mirror Lotus stops the merging of those energies, allowing me to wield them separately and independently, and making them perceptible to those such as you. Now rest Hollow, your time has come." he explained as the figure before him broke away into nothingness. He sighed, this guy was actually quite weak, but he still had to resort to the Lotus, which meant that he had just tipped his hand when it came to his powers... oh well, it's not like it could be avoided forever.

"My, my looks like you're full of surprises" he heard Yoruichi say as she slowly walked towards him. He gave a tired sigh in turn

"What can I say? I'm good at what I do" he commented lamely. He really wasn't in the mood for banter right now. And then there were the facts that he felt that Urahara was coming, and so were a number of other people, apparently attracted by the explosion that happened. The whole situation only lasted for five minutes.

"I must say I'm impressed as well" he heard Kisuke saying from somewhere behind him. He could probably tell exactly where the man was, but right now, he was feeling a bit tired, an annoying aftereffect of the Lotus Opening

"And here I've gone through the trouble of preparing a full set of weaponry to help you two out." he stopped for a moment " I must say, I've never seen anything like it before." he commented, already going into 'scientist' mode. Naruto found himself oddly surprised at the lack of physical attempts to examine him, or even the lack of a notebook and pen. Yep, it was official, he was going insane.

"And you likely won't see it anywhere else too" he commented wit a tired laugh. "Now, if you don't mind, I think we should disappear, unless my ears are deceiving me, there's a lot of people coming"

"Fine. Back at your place?" Kisuke asked, he too had heard the sirens. It was rather hard to mistake them "Yoruichi, would you mind looking after him a bit? He seems hurt" he suggested to his long-time friend,

"Sure." she quickly answered "Just be careful"

"Why not" Naruto muttered as two of them vanished, leaving behind not a trace of their presence for the coming police and firefighters to find. Kisuke stayed behind a few moments more, flashing through to gather a few objects of interest before leaving.

None of them were aware of the chaos that would be unleashed the next morning

_(23:30, Soul Society, Seireitei, Shinigami Research Institute )_

Mayuri Kurotsuchi wasn't what any person in their right mind would call sane. Most people in their right minds would actually avoid him like the plague, for the man (shinigami) was the closest thing Soul Society had to a resident Mad Scientist. A person who's response to ethics and moral were "What are those and can they be dissected?" His very appearance is disturbing, as the man wore a rather eccentric hat, and a helluva lot of makeup, covering his face black and white look. His skin was unnaturally pale, though most assumed it was because of the many experiments he performed on himself.

Suffice to say, that should you draw this person's attention you should be wary.

"Captain Kurotsuchi!" one of the researchers shouted "We've picked up a massive release of an unknown energy from Karakura Town in the world of the living"

The reading was somewhat fainter than the energy itself was, but that was to be expected, especially if one manged to pick it up from another world. Most of the Shinigami in Soul Society had no idea how the insanely complex machinery that ran the Research Institute worked, and frankly, most of them didn't even want to know, as they believed, correctly, that it would save them from a lot sleepless nights.

"Oh?" came the ever whimsical voice of the captain "Have you isolated it?"

The researchers praised their luck, he was in a good mood today.

"Yes sir, but it only lasted for about five seconds before disappearing completely. We have it's location and signature though" the researcher in charge offered hopefully.

"How curious. Have the information delivered to my room and keep watch for it" he stated and left.

"We're still alive?" one of them asked to no one in particular, before continuing his work. A very curious smile crossed the face of one of them. There was someone who was more than interested in this type of information

_(00:00, Karakura Town, Kurosaki family clinic, Ichigo's room)_

He just couldn't fall asleep. And he had a written test tomorrow. Well, compared to the general weirdness of the day it was nothing. First, hollows that kept disappearing, then the weird guy in the white suit, and now the crazy pulse of reiatsu that had both him and Rukia worried. And as fast as it appeared it was gone.

"What do you think it was?" he asked, eyes focused on the moon outside. He wasn't looking forward to tomorrow.

"No idea" Rukia answered. Although that might have been a lie, as she had a sneaky suspicion that Naruto was somehow involved. Whatever strange happened, she had a feeling he was involved. Either him or Urahara, though it could be _both_. Now there was a scary thought.

"I see." he stated shortly. There was a lot of things on his mind "How's the restoration of your powers going?" he asked.

"Why? Want to get rid of me so soon?" Rukia joked back, only to be met by silence.

"I'm worried" he responded after a few seconds. Rukia could only sigh.

"It's strange, but I feel like it's not returning at all." she answered.

"Maybe you should ask someone to take a look. That can't be natural, right?" he added in concern. He knew that his own energies replenished quickly enough.

Rukia on the other hand was touched by his concern. She sure wasn't used to people acting like that... or more likely she has forgotten it. The situation brought memories of another time, long, long ago, before she was adopted the Kuchiki family... back when she was just 'Rukia'. And it brought back thoughts of her crazy friend Renji. She didn't even know why she though of it, but she had a feeling that he and Ichigo would get along nicely... and be at each others throat half the time. She actually laughed at the thought.

"What?" Ichigo asked curiously at her laughter.

"It's nothing... memories" she responded, voice much more cheerful than before. While she enjoyed the trip down memory lane, it wasn't the time for that now.

"Memories, huh?" Ichigo tiredly stated, before closing his eyes to catch some sleep. The sad tone wasn't lost on Rukia, but she shrugged it off as something to ask in the morning.

_(03:00, Sky over Karakura Town)_

Somewhere above Karakura town, a gate appeared. It was a wooden structure, visible only from one side, as most rifts between worlds tend to be, made in a very traditional Japanese style. It was by no means a subtle thing, though no mere human would ever see it. As the gate opened, a single person stepped through, casually walking away from the gate. Said person never noticed that five shadowed figures jumped through, letting it close behind them and disappear.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well, that's it for today. I've decided to postpone the fight with Ishida for a while, and do the Grand Fisher part in the next chapter.

One more clarification to make, as a lot of people have been asking me. No, what happened here will NOT be the ending of Determination. Consider it an AU ending that I used as a base for this story. The other one will continue normally.

_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_

_Glossary of things odd  
_

Hunter-killer- class of weapons, usually in SF, convenient to use here as a term. Usually concerns a biological or robotic weapon that hunts down and destroys a target based on some previous information

Twin Mirror Lotus – Naruto's hand to hand style. An art of murder specially developed to bypass defenses and crush foes in as few blows as possible. Relies on injecting one of the two opposing forces of Ki and Reiki and using them to internally destroy a victim's body. Strongest attacks can literally sever the connection between body and soul

Prime/Break – Standard combo for the Twin Mirror Lotus. It sets up a charge in it's victim's body, that is later detonated into a solid crystal that expands within the body by a second blow. It originally strikes internal chakra channels, though it also deals damage to organs. In the case of shinigami or hollows, weaker foes are near instantly killed by the damage while stronger ones can resist the expansion.

Soul Crush – High class attack, directly assaults the connection between body and soul, while also dealing debilitating damage to the body via a hand supercharged with separate energies of Ki and Reiki

Dance of Ruin – Naruto's sword style, or more likely a combination of special moves added to his usual reactive style of fighting. Mostly used with the sword Quicksilver.

Hammer of the Gods – Special attack that unleashes large amounts of concentrated earth chakra into one strike, used to deal a heavy bludgeoning blow onto a target, or destroy a large area of ground in a roughly hemispherical shape

Well, that about wraps it up. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please read and review.

Till next chapter..


	5. Seeds of Chaos

**Author's Ramblings:** For the chapter or two, Naruto will take a back seat to Ichigo, as the next few events have more to do with him than with Naruto. Both will still be present, but Ichigo takes priority. Unless my capricious muse decides otherwise... god I hope not.

Well, other stuff aside, this is the fifth chapter, and the fact that I wasn't booed of the scene by now means I got something done right, which is rather nice to hear. From what I've seen the last time I checked the story stats page, the story got over 250 alerts and favorites, which for such a short story ain't bad, along with nearly a hundred reviews. So for that, thanks for the support folks. I appreciate it

Ah, and the new stuff will be explained in the notes at the end of the chapter. I've decided to permanently adopt the weird glossary format for explanations of things from the story Determination and various other stuff.

* * *

_Chapter 5 : Seeds of Chaos_

_(01:00, Two hours earlier, Apartment building of Naruto Uzumaki )_

No one in their right mind expects people to normally enter a home from the roof and through the window. In reality, both shinigami and shinobi could, would and did abuse facts like that to make their passage even less noticed than it normally would have been.

The three figures that landed on the small balcony of the third-floor apartment were looking slightly tired, with the exception of Naruto, who was visibly drained.

"Drinks?" he offered as he used one of the security seals he had placed over the door to open it from the outside. Urahara had thought of sending someone to pick up the two cars that were actually rented for the night, so they were free of any further issues for now.

"Sake" came the first, as expected of Urahara. The man enjoyed his drink of choice, though he was quite partial to tea as well. One had to have some pleasures to help pass eternity.

"Milk" came the unexpected second. Naruto was unsure why, but the woman reminded him of a cat in oh so many aspects. He wrote it off as yet another thing he doubted he'd ever figure out.

As they walked in, he silently gestured to the dining table, while he went of to the kitchen, throwing off the jacket on the couch. He was sure he had milk somewhere.

"What do you think now?" Kisuke offered to his relative, earning him a smirk from the woman

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out" she stated in a sultry tone that made Urahara break out laughing, one hand on his hat to hold it from falling.

"Did I miss something?" Naruto shortly asked, carrying a bottle of sake and one of milk, along with a glass and two saucers before sitting himself down on the couch

"Nothing much" Yoruichi quickly answered while giving her cousin a warning glare.

Naruto sighed, letting himself sink into the softness of the couch beneath him ,before unsealing the Song of the Wind. He gently treated the blade, as one would a lover, slowly drawing it out and taking a cloth to clean it, taking great care to leave it spotless.

"So?" he quietly asked "You said you wanted to talk. Let's start with why you didn't tell us that you knew there was a hollow there, and what happened." he added, voice growing consistently sharper as he continued.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kisuke jokingly answered, earning him a very threatening glare from Naruto. "Fine." he quieted down "I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was sure it would be trouble. That's the reason I called you for the job. I expected you to be more than capable of handling it." Kisuke explained in a perfectly serious voice "While the two of you were tracking him, I went back to the shop to pick up a bit of firepower in the case you needed help, as I got a weird feeling from the man I was talking to." he added, gently patting the bandaged package next to him

"As for what happened, the Puppeteer must have had a sentry of some sort that noticed you. After that, he did whatever he needed to defeat the two of you, though I must say, I underestimated your power, just as he likely did."

"Your turn" Yoruichi continued "What did you do back there? That was no ordinary attack. And why did your energy suddenly become so visible?" she fired of the questions.

Naruto visibly paused at the questions, hands clenching around the blade. Both noticed that his left hand, the one cleaning the blade was suddenly bleeding, dying the cloth crimson red.

"The Twin Mirror Lotus is a killing art, meant solely for annihilating your enemies regardless of their power, with the least possible number of attacks" Naruto stated in a dark, cold voice "Through careful manipulation and the precise order of activating a number of pressure points, it twists the body's ability to form chakra, dismantling any existing energy to it's components, Ki and Reiki, the energies of the body and soul. Through the same process it allows the body to wield both of them, and use them to kill the wielder's enemies. However, that does not come without a price, as the drain strains the body. The likely reason you couldn't detect me so far was because of the properties of chakra. From what I've noticed, most of the beings around here use pure Reiki, without touching, or even having Ki. In other words, you likely lack the training to find me. Quite to the contrary, I was forced to adapt my tracking skills to develop the Twin Mirror Lotus, so I have no issues." he explained. After he did, he let out another sigh, and a small chuckle at the fact that he had once more stained the blade. The others were silent, probably going through the information he had just given them. He realized that he was growing to trust them, even though he didn't have much to go on apart from his instincts. For him it was enough.

"Talk about overkill" Yoruichi jokingly commented, bringing a small laugh from the younger blond. He glanced up from the blade to see her taking a long chug from the bottle he had given her.

"One last thing before I'm off. Those memory erasers will probably be in effect until tomorrow night. After that, they'll regain their memories of that night. And there's a chance that they'll fail sooner" Kisuke commented, walking towards the door. "Would you mind letting me out?"

Naruto smirked, pulling out the master seal control from his jacket, and gently moving his fingers over some of the symbols on it. He was somewhat surprised that Urahara noticed the wards, though he realized it wold have come sooner or later. He had revealed a lot about his own skills, and seen next to nothing of his allies'. Sure, both could move at great speeds. Yoruichi turned out to be an expert in hand-to-hand combat, and Kisuke, he had reasons to believe he was good with a sword, if the movements of his hands were any indication. But that was all he knew.

"Hey, Naruto" the woman's voice startled him

"Uhm?" he mumbled back

"Would you mind if I stayed the night?" she asked in with a smile.

"Nah. I'll prepare the couch for myself. You take the bed." he responded. '_Seems like I'm stuck on the couch more than I get to sleep in my own bed. How disturbing_'

"You know, we could share it..." she suggestively trailed off, but the sultry smile that adorned her face immediately vanished when he raised his face. Beyond the appreciative smile for her offer, she spotted something else, a deeply rooted sadness, and looks of pain and loss.

"Sorry... but I don't think I'm ready for something like that yet" he apologetically retorted, turning his head away.

"Naruto.. I" she started to apologize, but was cut off by a shake of his head

"It's fine. I have accepted that she's gone for good, but I'm unsure I'm ready for anything yet." he spoke in a quiet, but reassuring voice. His eyes lost their usual glint, looking sad and tired.

Yoruichi offered a sad smile of her own in turn. She understood what he meant quite well.

"Looks like I can't seem to do anything but bring up painful memories, eh?" she joked in a resigned voice, bringing a soft laugh from her host for the night.

"Maybe. But they aren't that painful anymore... just sad" Naruto retorted as he went off to prepare the bed, leaving her alone in his living room. She took the opportunity to take a look around, as she was growing intrigued by him. The room was sterile, as her old friends would say. It was comfortably set, but there wasn't anything that would lead you to any conclusions about the person that lived there. Things were neatly sorted, but there were no photos, no personal belongings. The only thing that didn't fit in was a book, a large leather-bound tome that was casually placed on a nearby shelf.

Curious, she strolled over and picked it up, making a slight pout when she noticed the locks on it. Two ordinary ones, reinforced by strange symbols that held a third lock in place.

Naruto had noticed that she was snooping around, but apart from the Codex of Seals, he had little there that was important, or overly revealing of him, and the book was as safe as it could be. He had made sure of that. Naruto had to stop a laugh when he felt her pout, skillfully avoiding the thought of her looking cute like that. Having the field of Radiance constantly present had it's perks. The bed was set for her within seconds, though he had little to offer in the form of sleeping clothes.

"Hey, the bed is ready" he shouted, picking up the pillow and blanket he had prepared for himself and walking back to the room to find Yoruichi dozing off on the couch. He wasn't fooled for a moment, but he still conceded, arguing that she didn't really mean anything by it. He picked her up and carried her gently to he bed. He pulled the covers over her, and after making sure he had comfortably placed her, walked off to the couch.

_'Damn' _he yawned _'I still need to get some rest. And to think, yet another crazy woman in my life. Does whatever God of this world hate me? Or is he simply in cahoots with the one back home?' _he jokingly thought as he covered himself. Only six or so hours of sleep to go...

_(07:00, Kurosaki family clinic.)_

Morning. A very unpopular term to those who need to get up in said time. Obviously from the groan coming from his bed, Ichigo fell into that group quite nicely. He pushed himself of the bed, eyes half open, and grumbling about annoying school and damned hollows as he walked over to the bathroom, conveniently ignoring Rukia as she got out of her closet/bed. He seriously wasn't in the mood for neither an argument over something silly nor getting hit in the shins again so early in the morning. Not to mention those utterly annoying drawings. Those he could live without, but for some reason, he had a feeling that fate had different plans. He also had a feeling that fate was a woman with a thoroughly wicked sense of humor, and all the free time in the world.

Chasing away the the scary thoughts, he washed his face, and proceeded with his morning rituals.

"Ichi-nii!!! Breakfast!" came the startling voice of his sister Yuzu. He made a small, carefully hidden smile. If there was anything that was certain in his life it was his family. His eyes widened at that moment as he noticed a glint of _something_ in the mirror before him and he dodged, barely avoiding a foot aimed for his head.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in his room, Rukia was worried. Neither Urahara nor her link in Soul Society were answering the phone, and she knew _something_ had happened last night. That wave of Reiatsu wasn't exactly subtle, and she doubted that Soul Society hadn't picked it up. And then there was the explosion.

"Ichi-nii! Breakfast!" she heard the girl she now knew as Yuzu shouting. While she certainly wouldn't mind a bite to eat, she still didn't have an exact idea how to convince the Kurosaki family to let her stay there.

"DAD!!!" came a second shout, this time from Ichigo. She nearly giggled at the insane family that the orange haired boy had, right before jumping out the window with her school bag slung over her shoulders. She preferred not to be late.

"Now, how do I get some answers?" she muttered to herself as she landed near the street. She still had more than an hour, just enough time to pay a visit to a certain handsome, but slightly perverted merchant. She wanted answers, and she needed a certain something to handle Ichigo's increasing absence from his body.

The walk was a short one thankfully, but the shop was still closed, Jinta, as usual cleaning the front. Noticing her arrival, he stopped and turned to the closed shop.

"Oi! Tessai, Kuchiki-san is here!" he shouted, putting a hand to his mouth to make it easier to hear. Soon enough, Tessai turned up, opening up the entrance

"Miss Kuchiki, welcome. I'm afraid Urahara-dono isn't here yet." he politely offered.

"I see. Did my order arrive by any chance?" she asked, slightly disappointed, but wanting to at least finish one thing she came here for. Tessai thought for a few seconds before going to the door

"Ururu! Bring the package for miss Kuchiki! It should be in the storage" he ordered. A few seconds later, the little black haired girl turned up, carrying a small wrapped up object for Rukia.

"Here. Since it's already paid for, there will be no problems" he commented, handing her the package.

"Thank you Tessai-san" she shortly returned before leaving.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto was having a very good morning so far. He got up early and decently rested, arguing that the couch wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as he originally thought, though he was still using his own bed tonight dammit!

Letting a mild chuckle escape his lips, he walked over to the kitchen, opting to prepare something quick to eat, and leaving a meal for Yoruichi as well. As a final thought, he pulled out another bottle of mild, leaving it beside the full plate. Attention to detail was something he was good at. Taking one last look at his sleeping guest and later the clock, he walked out, setting the wards to let her leave at will.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well, at least he had gotten to breakfast in one piece. Ichigo was not having a good morning, and everyone who suggested otherwise, apart from his two sisters, was begging for a hit to the head.

"Karin, pass me the sauce" he asked in his grumpy morning voice. Beneath the bright morning personality however, he was slowly growing worried. Something was going to happen, and he wasn't really sure what it was.

Karin quietly passed the sauce as Isshin joined them for breakfast

"What's the matter dad? Ichigo kicked your ass again?" Karin teased her father, who made a sad face, turning to the enlarged poster of his late wife

"Masaki, why does our daughter treat me so?" he whined, fake tears pouring from his eyes.

"Probably because you're in your early forties and act like a prepubescent kid" Karin muttered, much to Ichigo's entertainment, while Yuzu merely shook her head and continued eating.

Ichigo turned to the TV, paying it attention for just a few moments

"_... in other news, a massive gas explosion rocked the normally sleepy Karakura Town, destroying a warehouse on the edge of town. The explosion occurred around 21:25, but was without casualties. Experts claim that the...._" the announcer spoke, but Ichigo tuned her out as he took a look at the images behind her. He vaguely remembered passing the warehouse a few years back. Still, the explosion would have been nothing important, if he was one of those unaware that at about the same time, a large pulse of reiatsu traveled over the area.

'_So it was likely another Hollow attack._' he inwardly mused, though he was curious who took care of them.

"Hey, Ichi-nii, isn't that the warehouse Tsukari's dad worked in?" Yuzu asked, slightly worried. Her older brother blinked for a second, a stupefied look over his face before he remembered who she was talking about. Tsukari was a friend from her class in school, and his father once visited here to pick him up after the two were done with their homework.. A smile crossed his face at the teasing he indulged in that day, but quickly turned to a frown when he remembered just what Yuzu had asked him.

"Yeah, I think it is" he answered. "Don't worry, the announcer said that there were no casualties" he tried to reassure her.

"But his father is going to lose his job..." the little woman compassionately stated. Bringing yet another soft smile to Ichigo's face. After their mother died, there was little question who was keeping them all sane and functioning. She was a very caring and kind girl, and she was the one who filled Masaki's shoes after her death. As sad as the fact that such a thing was even needed, she did one hell of a job. A little woman she was indeed, for she had shouldered the responsibility for taking care of all of them, ensuring that their clothes were clean, that there was always food, that the house was in proper condition. When patients came in, she always helped their father. When one of her friends in school needed help, she would gladly offer. She almost never asked for anything in return, and that was why if she asked him to bring her the stars... he'd bring her a whole constellation, smiling and asking if there was anything else she needed. One of the few sane women in his life, something he deeply appreciated, probably more than he could ever express.

He finished the breakfast in relative silence, thinking of the impossibly annoying math test that they were about to have.

"See ya later Karin, Yuzu. Try not to cause trouble dad" he spoke as he went out, face immediately darkening at the though of school. Ever since that fateful night, studying seemed so... inconsequential. From what he could gather, Soul Society has been slacking off, and as much as he hated having to do the job of another, he just couldn't sit by idly and watch innocent souls suffer. So he took up the duty that Rukia's loss of power left him straddled with. The job was pure trouble, but the perks were nice at least. First, he could finally get rid of the annoying ghosts, while helping out the friendlier ones. Second, he finally had a way to get rid of pent up frustrations, while beating the living daylights out of dangerous creatures. And even better, he was actually doing something perceptively useful.

He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't see himself in any of the potential future careers that were within his options. And while he was vaguely aware that him being a Shinigami was likely only a temporary thing, he wanted it to last. He wanted this power that allowed him to protect those close to him, even if he still didn't understand all the consequences of the events that came before.

His musings on morality and future had to take a back seat for the moment, as he had finally reached his school. Noticing a number of people, some of which he very much wanted to see, his features changed into his usual scowl. He had an image to uphold anyway.

"Ichigo" came a voice he recognized as Chad. He turned to face the giant.

"Hey Chad. Ready for the tests today?" he asked

"I think so" he stoically returned as the two of them walked, both giving short greetings to the various people they met on the way. They reached the second floor classroom in minutes,enjoying a relaxed silence.

"Ichigo!" he recognized Keigo's voice, as the auburn haired teen nearly dropped on him, followed by his usual companion Mizuiro. Ichigo merely groaned as he walked on, giving Mizuiro a short greeting and completely ignoring Keigo. He had two people he very much wanted to see right about now

Naruto was thankfully within reach, and Rukia was nearby, though he had the feeling he'd be seeing her a lot, and soon.

"Oh, hey Ichigo. What's up?" Naruto cheerfully greeted him, acting completely oblivious of all recent events.

"Ichigo!" came a shout from behind him, one he recognized belonged to Tatsuki. "What the hell is wrong with you? You ignored me on the street when I was waving" she chastised him, and he had the decency to look ashamed

"Sorry Tatsuki... I was lost in thought" he offered. It wasn't a lie, he had spent the better part of the morning thinking, an act that wasn't exactly common for him, at least at such length. The sight brought on a worried face on Tatsuki

"Hey, is everything alright?" she asked, genuine concern present. Tatsuki was a perceptive girl, something that served her well in her martial arts training, as well as in practical life.

"Yeah.. " he trailed off, the usual scowl settling on his face. "Just great" he added a few seconds later as he walked to his seat, leaving a slightly bewildered Tatsuki behind, while Naruto was spinning his finger around his ear suggestively, while pointing at him. '_One of these days, one of these days..._' Ichigo repeated the mantra as he calmed himself down. There was still a long day ahead, and a good chance to mess with Naruto was bound to appear sooner or later. Or at least he hoped so...

Naruto wasn't nearly as relaxed as he seemed though. A decade and then some of watching his back led him to develop a level of paranoia about being watched, and while it didn't kick in all that often in the past few years, now it was going into overdrive. His ever ready senses picked up and isolated a grand total of six figures. The recent encounters with Hollows and several Shinigami had forced him to adapt his screening techniques to search for pure Reiki instead of chakra, and he managed to isolate six concealed signatures, and their forms. Two separate groups, one consisting of one woman dressed in a slightly strange form of the usual Shinigami uniform. In some aspects it looked like something his crazy godfather would have designed. Shaking off the perverted thoughts, he turned to the second group, three men and two women, all in same uniforms, and from their motions, they tried to keep themselves hidden from the first one. Both groups were, however watching the class, and he was sure that the target was either him, Ichigo or Rukia... or any combination of these three. He quietly recognized the forms for later reference, and used the class time for studying their level of skill, biding the right time for the hunter became the hunted. He wasn't sure whether he'd have to kill, but counterespionage would be sufficient for now.

Chad had noticed the moment's tenseness that crossed over Naruto's face, but he couldn't figure out what happened, so he gave up on figuring out. Strange things had been happening the past few days, and he realized that pieces of his memories were missing, blurred off. His best friend was acting weirdly, and Naruto, Naruto was being downright strange. He had noticed it when they first met, then later when they fought against the yakuza thugs on the roof. After that, he _knew _had seen him again, but he just couldn't remember where. He had seen posture like that before, in men like his Abuelo, his grandfather back in Mexico. He acted all relaxed, but when push came to shove, he acted far differently. Naruto Uzumaki was someone that he hoped he would never have to fight. He, like so many others wanted answers, and whatever was going on, he felt that Naruto was at the center of it.

"Naruto, tell me what's wrong" he asked, deciding to, for a change, be completely blunt and open. The tense look returned for a moment, before Naruto immediately relaxed, a wide, foxy grin covering his face.

"I'll tell ya later" ha answered, voice completely cheerful "When we're not being watched" he added in a much lower voice, the grin never leaving his face. He had ensured that he turned away from the window while doing so, a fact not lost on him, even if he didn't completely understand the significance of it.

All chatting stopped however, when the teacher came in. a number of quiet sighs could be heard as the first class begun. Math tests were always so much _fun_...

Keigo wasn't exactly a person known for either his intellect or his perceptive abilities, but looks as ever cold be deceiving. He simply didn't like to think too much about things, and preferred to keep to entertaining things in life, rather than bother with the serious stuff. The last couple of days effectively took that option away. He knew he had seen a monster, and he knew others did as well, but they suddenly stopped talking about it, though curious and suspicious looks remained. What he didn't know was that out of all of them, he was the only one completely immune to the effects of the memory replacement and/or erasure device, but ever sine he realized that none of the group showed up at Naruto's apartment, Ichigo included, he kept his mouth cleverly shut about it. He'd have to wait though, and as much as he wanted to know just what the hell was going on, he'd have to be the fool a while longer.

Slightly behind him, Tatsuki, and Mizuiro were in a similar position to Chad. They both knew something had happened, but not what. As always in the past two days, whenever something strange happened, Naruto and Ichigo seemed at the center of it. Tatsuki could swear that she had seen him somewhere outside of school.

Out of all of them only two people had some idea of what was going on: Naruto Uzumaki and Ishida Uryuu, and while the first stayed quiet out of need, the second simply didn't care enough to tell about it.

And time passed in ignorance of the other events that were unfolding.

_(11:00, Basement of the Urahara Shop)_

When one uses the word basement, he usually refers to a somewhat limited space beneath ones home. Kisuke Urahara, being who he is, never was one for having just the ordinary thing around, and therefore, the basement of his shop was a sight to be seen.

A massive cavern, easily a hundred meters high, and indeterminable in length and width. The painted sky on the roof of the cavern actually moved, clouds formed from the ever so slight evaporation of the few bodies of water flowing along. The mostly rocky ground was crisscrossed by the occasional patch of grass and tree, though nothing special. The only detail that showed that the place wasn't open space was a ridiculously long ladder that extended seemingly into the heavens.

Two figures stood, one against the other. The first was Kisuke Urahara, in his usual green pants and shirt, but minus the usual coat. The bucket hat along with the clogs he was famous for were there.

On the other side was Yoruichi Shihoin, in her greatly preferred tight black pants and orange top, hair tired into a long ponytail. Unlike Kisuke, she was unarmed, something most would believe gave a tremendous advantage to him.

"Ready?" the blond cheerfully asked.

"To kick your blond butt? " the woman answered, the ever present catlike grin sending shivers up Kisuke's spine. "Anytime"

Both vanished, reappearing with a clash a moment later, Yoruichi blocking Kisuke's sword with her foot, a strike to the dull side of the sword having turned the blade away from her body.

"So it happens tonight?" she asked, both once more disappearing, as clouds of dust begun rising from constant impacts,

"Likely" came the answer "Have you noticed?" he asked, moving his hands to release a wordless kido at her, a single index finger pointed in the direction of her leg as a bolt of lightning erupted from it, barely missing it's target

"That you've grown slower in your old age?" Yoruichi teased, before her face turned serious, blocking yet another strike with her hands "I have. Are you sure it was such a wise idea to change the carrier?"

"You know I don't like this any more than you do sister" Kisuke answered her, completely stopping. She was worried, he never called her sister unless he was very, _very_ serious. And while they were simply cousins, they had long ago adopted a brother/sister relationship, and accepted the other as one.

"I know" she retorted "I still think you shouldn't have created the damned thing in the first place, but no use crying over spilled milk." she added pausing for a moment" You do realize he's not going to just let it pass... he has to many spies looking for it, and not even I can find them all"

"Yah.... but you forget, even this old cat has a few tricks up his sleeves. And seriously, maybe it would be better for us to...'enlighten' them" he said, once more moving forward. The spar had continued.

_(14:00, Karakura High, Class 3 classroom)_

(_Author's note: I think I remember Ichigo being in Class 3. Feel free to tell me to fix it if it was a mistake_)

Much to his displeasure, a certain time had finally come. Naruto wasn't overly fond of explaining stuff to people, but was even less fond of keeping secrets from people he accepted as his friends.... though his previous job as Hokage forced him to do so on a daily basis. He was beginning to comprehend the magnitude of the events that were happening around him, an he knew that in order to survive, he needed allies. He had so far realized that Yoruichi and Kisuke were allies, mostly because they had similar views. Even if he hadn't spoke with them about their beliefs, some things could be understood without. He didn't really need a reason to help them out, he felt it was his duty as a friend.

"Fine" he gave up. Being ganged up on was annoying, but still "any other place we can speak?"

"The roof?" Keigo offered

"Watched" Chad, to the surprise of all answered, bringing a number of curious looks from the others, and a very respective one from Naruto

"So you figured it out. I can draw them away, but we need another place to meet, and I don't think there's a suitable one in the school anyway." Naruto commented, then smiled as an idea popped up. He still had to mess with a certain individual today.

"Rukia, can you guide them to Urahara's shop after school " he asked "I think ol' bucket-hat would be a good person to help out, since this is partially his mess as well" the blond added, to a nodding Rukia who had assumed a very serious pose.

"I suppose..." she answered after a few seconds.

"Then it's settled. You'll all receive your answers then" Naruto stated "Until then, act casual while I deal with the nuisances." he added in a frigid voice, bringing a shiver up everyone's spine. Only Rukia and Ichigo had an idea of what he was capable of, and neither really wanted to know what would happen to the 'nuisances'. What none of them knew was that they were behind an effective mirror screen of genjutsu, so that the ever curious onlookers wouldn't figure out anything. The spies wouldn't make their presence known to the students, so they were safe for the time being. Quietly he slipped away to the bathroom, summoning a single clone with the orders to keep a low profile, while he himself jumped out the window, turned invisible by the legendary Transparency jutsu. Time to let his enemies build a false profile of his skills.

_(14:30 School Courtyard)_

"Why now of all times?" Ichigo grumbled as he and Rukia rushed to face yet another hollow, exiting to the school courtyard.

"I doubt they got your schedule you know" Rukia answered, eyes peeled to the display before her.

"Before we go, I got you something" she added, quickly pulling out a small object that very much looked like a candy dispenser, decorated with a plushy duck head on top. A sign on the side read 'Soul Candy'

"It's ginkongan" she stated, as if the word explained everything. Ichigo stared at the thing, completely stupefied. "It forcibly pulls a soul out of it's body, putting in a temporary replacement"

"Why does it look like a duck? And why does it say 'Soul Candy' on the side" he asked, unable to come up with anything more intelligent

"It was sent by my superiors. I wanted to get Chappy the Rabbit, but they ran out since it was more popular" she grumbled "And the Shinigami Women Association thought that ginkongan wasn't cute enough..." she added the second part a lot more quietly

"So you wanted the rabbit..." he murmured, starring at her incredulously.

"Wha...what's with the look?" she shouted at him "Are you insulting me you bastard? And I went out of my way to make things easier for you!" she continued, slamming her foot into his head.

"Damn woman." Ichigo muttered under his breath "Fine, how do you use this thing?"

"Just press on the head and a pill will come out. Just swallow it and it will do the rest" Rukia explained "And hurry up, the Hollow is on the move"

Ichigo did as asked, curiously looking at the small green pill as it was ejected from the duck-head, and slightly nervously swallowed it. The effects were immediate, and he felt a strong pull on his soul as it was removed from his body, the now-empty shell slumping over the nearby fence.

"Wow, it actually worked. I'm out" Ichigo commented, bringing an angry twitch to Rukia's eyebrow. Inwardly she repeated the mantra of 'Must not kill him'

The slumped body started moving up, startling Ichigo. Moments later it turned, sporting a look that Ichigo wouldn't be caught dead wearing. He was smiling

"Nice to meet you" he stated in a very sweet and polite voice, right hand moved to the head in a salute "My name is Kurosaki Ichigo. My favorite phrase is 'Early to bed, early to rise'" he chirped on while Ichigo starred.

"Ain't he great? Over a hundred Shinigami scientists calculated that that would be an ideal personality for the temporary soul to adapt" she proudly stated.

"How is that supposed to be me?" he asked in raw annoyance, turning to Rukia "I'm nothing like that!"

"Oh quiet already. We have a job to do" she brushed him off "He'll handle things just fine, won't you"

"Of course miss" the fake-Ichigo replied, as Rukia dragged Ichigo off

"Hey you!"Me", get over to my next class " Ichigo shouted as he vanished behind the corner, barely hearing a calmly stated 'Don't worry master'

"Just take your time" the fake Ichigo quietly commented as the two vanished from sight.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Dammit!" she cursed a second later

"Gone again?" Ichigo asked in irritation. This was happening a lot more these since yesterday, and this was the third time they had to rush out since this morning. Frankly he had enough of it. There were other subjects to consider though

"So, what did you learn this morning?" he continued, running in the direction she showed him.

"How do you know I learned anything? Turn left here" she retorted, giving directions as they went

"You sneaked out earlier than usual and didn't wait for breakfast. And we both know how much you love Yuzu's cooking" he instantly replied, a satisfied smirk on his face as they kept running

_'Got me there' _she mused "Nothing. The old bastard I went to visit wasn't there"

"That Urahara guy?"

"Yeah. At least I managed to get that thing. At least we'll catch him later today"

"How far is the hollow?" Ichigo asked after a few seconds.

"It should be right around the corner" came the answer, and indeed it was,a large scorpion-like entity with gray scales and a very unpleasant looking stinger. A malformed mask covered where the face would normally be.

"Fine. Let's end this and get back. I'm getting a bad feeling about that temporary soul of yours" Ichigo muttered as he leaped towards the waiting hollow.

_(15:00, Forest outside of Karakura town)_

Nemu Kurotsuchi was hardly a foolish woman, or an inexperienced one. She was created to be extremely physically capable, and received training to make her one of the best. Of course, she lacked the power to be anything more than a vice-captain, but that was hardly an issue for her.

To be caught off-guard and effortlessly taken out within less than a second was something that provoked a very base response in her. Fear. In one moment she was watching a class of humans children, in the next, everything went black. And now she had woken up to find herself restrained by thin ropes... which she couldn't snap regardless of how much she tried. The man before her wore a standard Onmitsukido uniform, only a pair of black eyes visible, along with a blade on his back.

Naruto had already moved, all according to plan. While he was unsure of who the ninja lookalikes were, this woman wore a badge with the number 12 and a... reworked shinigami uniform. He connected the dots, assuming that she was in some way connected to the Shinigami, and decided to turn one opponent against the other. The first move was to take out the woman, removing her from the area, then appear as her, while making a swift and silent, but not lethal attack on the others. He quickly sent them into a rout as they weren't interested in fighting, merely spying. Another calculated risk. Now that she was up, he had assumed the form of one of the spies from the other group. The plan wouldn't get rid of them, but it would buy time and sow chaos between apparent enemies.

He remained completely silent as he studied his prey. The woman was youthfu... young in appearance, but a scan had revealed her as a shinigami, so she was likely at least some years older than he was. A number of strange things were present in her body, modifications worthy of the great and thankfully late Orochimaru. Still, disabling the trackers via a barrier imbedded in the bindings was a joke. No one would know where she was by now. Still, he wasn't exactly inhuman, he had no intention of killing her or anything else... just have her deliver the wrong information to whoever sent her. So he did what he originally planned, he brought clones of the others back, and let the bindings slip just a little bit,enough for her to try and escape while he and the 'others' were busy talking.

He smirked beneath the mask as the rope broke, burning the seals of with it. The other clones immediately gave chase, but intentionally lost her minutes afterward. He turned back to tow, more specifically Urahara's shop, walking slowly, his goal accomplished.

"Now, if there was only a decent ramen shop somewhere around here..." he voiced his thoughts to no one in particular as he kept walking. He really wasn't in any mood to rush.

(_15:00, Urahara Shop, Storage Room_)

He really wasn't sure why he originally went there. After he and Yoruichi finished their spar, Naruto dropped by to inform him that the entire spiritually aware group was dropping by later for a visit and an explanation... something that got Yoruichi and Jinta laughing about his misfortune. Later, he had thought of something that would be useful for one of his various ongoing experiments and decided to check if he still had it there. The storage room was more of a long, slightly wider corridor, with shelves than anything else, but it was relatively easy to find anything in it. He absently wondered if the Kuchiki girl came to pick up her order earlier, but he forgot to ask Tessai about it. And then he noticed an empty, open box. Wondering why the obsessively neat man would leave something like this lying around, he picked it up, and noticed the sign.

"Bad merchandise?" he read, taking a few seconds to remember just what the hell was inside "This just isn't my day, is it?" he vaguely commented as he slumped his shoulders.

* * *

**Author's notes:** I wanted to take this chapter and use it to paint the relationships between characters a bit clearer. Especially for Ichigo, since his were already there, and those that were newly changing.

But that somewhat failed, unfortunately.

Still, I decided to use the spies against their senders for sheer entertainment purposes. Believe it or not, espionage isn't nearly as glamorous as they make it in the movies, and stuff like this actually can happen (as long as you take out the supernatural part. Misinformation is the mother of counterespionage. Make them think what you want them to think instead of what's really happening and pull a fast one under their noses)

Also, there is the fact that Yoruichi appears, well, slutty here. Keep in mind that she teases Ichigo mercilessly whenever she gets the chance. There was no actual intention of sex... yet anyway. I still haven't decided what the pairings will be so.. :P

* * *

_Glossary of things odd and off_

Codex of Seals – A large leather-bound tome originally created by Minato Namikaze, and completed by his son Naruto. It contains all seals arrays the two of them created or encountered including both the Reaper Death Seal and Hiraishin. Due to the lack of knowledge about seals in the Bleachverse, the writings are nearly useless to them (they'd double as excellent fuel for a fire if thy weren't warded ).

Genjutsu Mirror Screen – Illusion effect that makes it appear there is no one behind a field. It works strictly one way.

Transparency Jutsu – Ninjutsu. Created by Jiraya of the Sannin as a genin explicitly for voyeuristic purposes, though he later adapted it for actual spying. Taught to his apprentice Naruto, who later adapted it into a formidable combat skill.

* * *

That would be all folks. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I look forward to your reviews


	6. Revelations : A Price to Knowledge

**Author's Ramblings : **For starters, welcome to the new chapter. This will be the last one in this year unless I pull a writing marathon... which isn't exactly likely...

Now, on to the story. This chapter begins the first part of the Revelations arc. I intend to reveal details about many of the important characters in this part of the story, along with a few changes. First, I find that the idea of a modified soul born and bred for combat being next to useless in a fight downright stupid. Kon was originally made to beat the daylights out of hollows with his kicks, but was mostly reduced to comic relief through the story. Also... nah, I'll leave that for the story and you to read later on :D

A detail about my comments on god being a woman. It's not really sexism... I just think that women have a far greater capacity for tasteful well concocted vengeful nasty little things. Consider it personal experience.

Oh, and keep in mind that Naruto is slightly unhinged... the stress of five years of extensive and nearly constant combat combined with the loss he suffered tend to do that to people.

There is one final point I wish to make. Naruto is powerful, and in more ways than one. The profile posted at the end of this chapter will give you an image of what I speak and before people give me comments of 'He's too powerful' keep in mind that Naruto is a battle-hardened former hokage-turned-demon who pretty much killed a living god infused with the powers of eight of the nine bijou. He doesn't possess the raw power that people like Kenpachi and Ichigo have, but he is brutally efficient at using his own, and is a tactical genius (even by cannon in Naruto)

So, as stated, a few of the characters that took a back seat will have more of a role now. Anyho, enjoy

* * *

_Chapter 6 : Revelations : A Price to Knowledge_

It is no easy task to create an artificial life, to create an animus, a living, sentient soul out of inanimate matter. In some aspects, the creation of Faux-souls along with that of the gigai, essentially living, soulless bodies was perhaps his greatest achievement. He looked at the file labeled 'Project Spearhead', reminding himself of the times that the Shinigami used actual corpses to visit the living world.

Kisuke let out a hollow laugh... the best laid plans of mice and men... but that was neither here nor there, and right now, he had issues to deal with. Feeling stupid or sorry would have to wait.

"Tessai! Ururu, Jinta!" he said in a voice slightly louder than the usual one he used. "Get ready!We're going hunting" he announced, the darkness of the room hiding a frown that had developed on his face.

No man who ever created something looked forward to it's destruction, but he had no choice. He gave his cane a tired look, before whispering "What do you think Benihime?"

"I suppose you are right as always my princess" he answered in a calm and loving tone, talking out loud even though no one else was physically present. Quietly enough, accompanied only by the clapping sound of the wooden clogs he wore, Kisuke Urahara walked out of the storeroom, the same white package he had picked up a night before on his shoulder. He had to admit though, he was itching to use it just because it was getting annoying to drag it around. Still, it might be a bit of an overkill for this target

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ichigo found himself increasingly nervous as he and Rukia moved back towards the school. He was sure that the temporary soul was causing trouble. That 'innocent' and nice appearance was a bit too much to be believable now that he had the time to think about it. The hollows they felled were a joke.

"Don't worry. I'm sure nothing bad happened" Rukia quietly stated as the two of them walked near the school. There was still an hour or two of school to go on before they were to pay a visit to a certain blonde or two...

They came close to the classroom only to see a table flying through the door, narrowly avoiding the temp soul in Ichigo's body.

"Help me she's crazy!!" he shouted, running only to be caught by a thoroughly pissed off Tatsuki. She was just about to maul him when she noticed something strange. There wasn't just one Ichigo in front of her. Apart from the one she was holding in her hands, there was another, dressed in weird black clothes standing next to the Kuchiki girl, with a big damn sword slung over his shoulder.

"Tatsuki-san, would you please let Ichigo go?" Rukia politely attempted, while the other girl still mutely watched the two near identical figures.

"As soon as you tell me which one of them is Ichigo" she deadpanned. The real Ichigo and Rukia head the identical and instantaneous reaction... they slammed their palms into their faces. Could things really get any more complicated? Ichigo loudly cursed when he noticed what happened... he just had to ask, did he?

The temporary soul inhabiting Ichigo's body used the moment's confusion to twist out of Tatsuki's grasp, charging back into the classroom, and going straight through the window. Before Ichigo could stop him, he was already flying out. Te orange-haired shinigami gasped at the sight, frozen in shock by the fact that his own body was about to get irrevocably wounded if not killed. To his surprise, his body landed, before turning with a face-splitting grin, and running off at a speed he'd be hard pressed to match.

Rukia, who was at the time standing next to him, was currently thinking of several things. First, would be flaying Urahara alive for the very entertaining piece of merchandise she had received. Second was the overriding concern for the trouble Ichigo had gotten himself in, as she finally figured out what was wrong with the temporary soul he had put into his body. A Modified Soul, a remnant of the infamous 'Project Spearhead' from long ago.

"Ichigo" she whispered as the two of them once more left the building, this time through the window, though no one thankfully noticed, as Tatsuki was the only person inside a few moments ago, and she already had a feeling something weird was happening

"I know. Even more trouble. But what the hell was that thing?" he asked, rushing towards the familiar feeling of his own reiatsu mixed with that of the other soul

"A Mod soul." she shortly stated, bringing out her trusty notebook, and a carefully concealed groan from Ichigo, who was by now seriously considering medication. Lots of it.

"Essentially, mod souls are artificial souls with certain special properties" she began, drawing away at the notebook furiously "Such as great strength, speed, or something else" she said, turning the drawing at Ichigo who stared at the childish bunnies and bears with abject horror "They were a part of something called 'Project Spearhead', a plan to create artificial soldiers to combat hollows by inserting modified artificial souls into corpses." she trailed off here, her usual confidence gone for a slightly sadder look.

"So? What happened to them?" Ichigo asked

"The unmodified ones are still in use as temporary souls for Shinigami in the living world. The practice of using corpses was deemed too inhumane by Soul Society, and the mod souls were destroyed" she stated. For a moment Ichigo froze in place, and an undecipherable look crossed his face.

"Are you telling me that they destroyed them just because they were fucking inconvenient?" he shortly summed up what she said, but that was not what caught her off-guard, no, it was the voice in which he had spoken. The cold rage that colored it was palpable, and the raw emanation of righteous fury that left his body made her shiver. For a scant second, the boy before her was no longer there, replaced by a towering entity of pure power and rage, all aimed at the Soul Society. She really hadn't thought much about it before, as she always had accepted it as the price of the responsibility the Shinigami carried as the effective keepers of balance between the mortal world and Soul Society.

Before she would have likely dismissed him as a kid who didn't know what he was talking about, but the way he had phrased it, the way he had bluntly stated the heart of the mater, and correctly, what he had done during the past few days, combined with the fact that Soul Society had actually _failed_ at their job, and not for the first time, the nightmarish life in the Rukongai that she herself experienced, along with a lot of other minor details... a seed of doubt was planted. And what's worse, she had no answer to his accusation that didn't crush absolutely everything she had come to believe in.

"Let's just get this over with" she quietly said, a worried look covering her face. Ichigo offered a nod as they went on, both opting to focus on finding the escaped mod soul rather than what they would do once it was caught.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tatsuki watched as the two left the room, still in slight shock over what happened during the past few minutes. Or more accurately, just wondering what happened. She had seen it all perfectly, so the only thing she could do is doubt her memories or accept them. The vague recollections of the events just a few nights ago were becoming clearer the more she thought about them. She was sure she had seen Naruto fighting something, dressed just in his pants, no less. She was also sure that those things, whatever they were, were everything but normal.

"Orihime-chan?" she asked her friend, who remained suspiciously silent. "Are you okay?"

"Tatsuki-chan... what do you think that is?" she asked in an unusually flat tone, her right index finger pointing at the sky. Tatsuki turned to the place she was pointing at, and at first she saw nothing. Then a crack appeared in the sky, a single monstrous, scale-covered claw protruding from a growing hole.

"Trouble" the other girl responded, resisting the urge to groan. She wasn't scared, as her mind simply refused to process the information, gently setting it aside in the 'someone else's problem' section, and proceeded to clean up the classroom from her bout with the mod soul.

Orihime quietly watched the claw extend the fracture, and eventually revealing a full arm, and then a face... which near instantly got destroyed, and the fracture began healing, completely vanishing within a few minutes. It was a strange sight to her, one that incited her already rampart curiosity. And the question that came naturally with it, what was Ichigo doing? Regardless, she had an idea who to ask.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Why do I have to do this again? I'm not his goddamn babysitter" a black cat grumbled as it kept running along the street, going towards the small forest where Kisuke said that Naruto was spotted. It wasn't that she minded going after Naruto, he had aroused her catlike curiosity more than once, it was the fact that Kisuke set it up like an errand, something he tended to do at times. The paths she chose were generally void of people, giving her the option of moving faster than she normally would. The wood was nearby, and she reached it quickly. Inside however, she was treated to a rather unusual sight.

Naruto, having decided that he had enough time for a decent training session, had taken off most of the excess clothes, leaving him only in his boxers. The entire body was tensed, coiled, the long blade of the katana he used held parallel to it, with the sheath held by his teeth.

"Now!" he ordered, only slightly muffled by the sheath he was biting. Yoruichi stared in mild shock as over a hundred clones leaped from the bushes, the trees, some even digging out from the ground, forcing Naruto into the air, where by all the combat experience she had, he should be vulnerable. The clones continued the attack, pelleting him with kunai, shuriken and senbon needles, all poisoned, and some attached to wire.

And then it came... Naruto simply vanished, as a strong wind began blowing from the position he was in. A split-second later, he appeared on the ground, eradicating the nearest ten clones with a low blow from the katana, before making a back-flip from his crouched position to avoid a hail of projectiles. He continued moving back to avoid the encroaching attacks of his clones, before making an unexpected move, and ricocheting of a tree branch, which was cut to shreds a moment he jumped off it. The second landing was on top of a clone's shoulders, his heel burying itself into the back of his neck, instantly taking him out, while his left hand released five shuriken he had caught in the air, managing to skewer another two clones... right before pulling the wire they were attached to to hit another one, and twisting his body to void another salvo aimed at him as he noiselessly fell to the ground.

Yoruichi watched in growing awe and respect as he proceeded to obliterate the remaining clones, taking out groups of two or three with every attack. It took her a few moments to be sure, but every one of those clones had his skills, his speed and his strength... those were identical copies, only a tad more vulnerable than the original, though considering that every single attack was a clear execution, that was up to debate. There was little to no sound to every carefully practiced movement he executed, looking more like a macabre dance of blades than fighting.

After finishing his training regiment, Naruto took the sheath in his right hand, steadying the blade with his left one before sheathing it in a fluid motion, letting out a loud exhale in the process.

Naruto found himself content with the progress of his body's restoration to it's full potential. The insane regeneration rate had already done it's part, and by now all of the soreness and damage to his nervous system had healed fully. The previous battles were generally easy, and his foes weren't used to fighting enemies like him... all the better as far as he was concerned.

"You can come out now" he politely stated, certain of the lack of threat in the presence he had picked up. He was unsure just who it was since the aftermath of the fight left his mind a bit overloaded, leaving nothing but a fuzzy signature of a person he was sure was observing his session.

"That was entertaining" Yoruichi commented in a much deeper voice. Naruto turned to face the cat, features twisted in mild surprise.

"Yoruichi?" he spoke in a confused tone

"Who else? Get dressed blonde, trouble's brewing" she added

"Sigh... what else is new?" Naruto commented as he redressed himself, putting on his casual baggy black pants and gray sweat-shirt, idly noting that Yoruichi took her time studying his body. The weapons were promptly resealed into his palms. He idly wondered if his clone back in school managed to conceal the influence of the dispelling, though he was more interested why said clone didn't take the necessary steps to inform him of the events there.

With a wistful sigh, the figure of Uzumaki Naruto vanished from the small clearing, following after the black cat.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The target of the entire hunt, the modified soul that used Ichigo's body was right now taking a run. The reasons for that action were glaringly obvious.... if you were spiritually aware that is. He (or at least he chose referred to himself as a he, considering that unlike normal souls he did not have a spirit body, and his sex was generally defined by the body he inhabited) was stuck fighting hollows, who were after Ichigo's body, considering that the boy shined like a beacon in the night. Still, one oft overlooked fact was that when the mod souls were created, their designer had intended them for combat, and therefore a large amount of training was programed into them, as the pack of hollows following him found out.

He had saved the lives of a few kids along the way... he had seen the deaths of too many friends, the only time he didn't mind killing was when hollows were concerned, that part of the original programming was to strong to overcome as of yet.

"_Stand still you_" shouted one of the less intelligent hollows that were hunting him, just as it crashed it's massive tentacle in the place he was standing at.

"Do I look as stupid as you?" he asked rhetorically, before sending a strong kick to the hollow's torso, back-flipping off it, and falling off the roof he was on, landing safely a few seconds later. Being engineered had a few advantages of it's own, such as his excessive legs strength, to the level that he could break bones and concrete with equal ease. Taking a look around, he smiled sheepishly at the bunch of kids that gathered around him, staring in awe, giving a small wave before speeding away

"Damn, what else can possibly happen?" he asked himself. As he found out seconds later, the old saying 'Careful what you wish..' couldn't be more true.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So what are we hunting?" Naruto curiously asked the cat that was currently stabbing her claws into his shoulder.

"A rogue mod soul occupying Ichigo's body. Lock onto the weaker of his two signatures" Yoruichi answered shortly.

"Can't you be any more specific?" he added in annoyance. He could have sworn the cat shrugged, and he would perhaps dispute it, had he not had a very long and friendly relationship with a bunch of talking toads.

"Fine, I'll just drill Urahara for information" he commented, leaping from roof to roof, all the while looking for the weaker of the two signatures. It was an annoying job, but still better then getting bored to death. Still, he felt something was off by the way Yoruichi was acting, though he wasn't sure exactly what, if he didn't know better he'd say that it was as if this whole thing left a bad taste in the mouth.

After a mere few minutes, he noted the familiar signature of the original Ichigo Kurosaki, running along with that of that girl Rukia... likely going after the mod soul just like them.

He had begun putting the details together. If Urahara was going after it, it meant he had a good reason to do so, most likely because the mod soul came from his shop, or at least that was what he assumed.

"You found them" she stated from her perch.

"Uhm. Going there." Naruto confirmed, renewing the invisibility cloak that kept them hidden. No need to make a fuss. "And so are Ichigo and Urahara.... as well a a bunch of hollows hunting our target"

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ichigo remained quiet for the last leg of their run. He and Rukia wasted nearly half an hour keeping up with the mod soul. Rukia was little better, opting to simply run with him. Both were still affected by the short conversation they started.

_'It's better this way.' _Rukia futilely tried to convince herself _'A shinigami is not allowed to make bonds with the living'_

It was one of the rules their society was built upon. No shinigami must stay in the living world for more then their designated mission time, as it comes close to living a second life. And yet she stayed a lot more then necessary, as it had been two days since the incident.

She clenched her hand for a moment, tiredly noticing that the response was still slightly off, slower than it should be. Why weren't her powers returning? At best,she was a plus with a bit of power now, not even sufficient to manifest her Zanpakutō, let alone something more demanding. Thankfully the synch drugs she had been taking helped out at least a little... she shuddered to think what would have happened otherwise.

"Ichigo! There!" she snapped out of her reverie, pointing out a rapidly moving figure next to the shoreline.

"I see him... I mean me.." Ichigo answered, getting slightly lost in the semantics of the mater at hand. How did one refer to a soul overtaking your body while you yourself were having what could best be described as an out-of-body experience? Regardless of said issue, he moved to intercept the mod soul.

While he wanted to beat the daylights out of the mod soul for stealing his body, and was mad as hell about it, he realized that he couldn't rightly blame him for it. Would he have acted any different after being trapped in a pill, probably for his entire life? If the other thoroughly distasteful detail that Rukia mentioned was true, he was likely among the last of his kind. He really didn't know how to feel about the whole thing.

"It's already as awkward as it can get" Rukia grumbled "Let's just get this day over with"

"Right." he responded, taking in a deep breath "STOP RIGHT THERE YOU BASTARD!" he shouted, immediately startling both the runaway mod soul, as well as the pack of hollows running after it. He ran off just in time to avoid yet another morale breaking kick in the shins, and failing to hear the mumbles about loud idiots as the girl rushed after him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Talk about your lack of subtlety" Naruto groaned as he shook his head. Next to him the cat once more shrugged

"It got the job done, no?" she commented, making sure to dig her claws safely into Naruto's shoulder, so that she wouldn't fall off. She found his left shoulder to be remarkably comfortable.

"He reminds me of myself, when I was twelve. Act first and think later" the blond bemusedly retorted, jumping the last few rooftops that remained between them and their 'prey'. A light chuckle came in response. He had already given up on figuring out just how a cat produced all of those sounds

"How about we see what the kids do first, eh? No need to rush in...yet" the cat on his shoulder spoke, and Naruto noiselessly agreed, opting to lie down on the roof, comfortably placed to watch the entire show, while Yoruichi curled up on his lap, watching with him.

'_I wonder what the kid will do. Hm... this might just be fun to watch_' Naruto lazily mused as he observed the events bellow them, considering if there was a way to get some snacks while he did so. Shows were always more fun with snacks. Making a mental note to seal up some snacks for next time he turned his attention fully to the mod soul beneath them, and the two groups after it. Seemed like Urahara was still a while away from them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

During this entire situation, perhaps the most confused party was the group of Hollows that were trying to get some lunch. First, they were chasing a orange-haired idiot who seemed to run as fast as the wind (_AN: fast food anyone?_), then a second, identical orange haired idiot joined him, this one obviously a Shinigami, accompanied by a female midget in what they could just barely remember as a school uniform. Now, to top it all, two others were watching from a nearby roof, and a fifth group was coming close, all of them uncomfortably strong.

The trio of hollows, consisting of a vaguely humanoid one, about six feet high with spikes protruding out of it's back, one that mostly resembled a sick mix between a dog and an octopus and the last which mostly looked like a bear, quietly decided that discretion was the better part of valor and that it was high time to leave the area. In the fight of hunger versus survival instincts, there was always a clear winner... most of the time

"Now let's just hope they don't notice us" the bearlike one quietly muttered as the two large hollows attempted to sneak away.

"Yeah, they're so caught up in their fight..." the dog/octopus added.

Next to the three hollows, Ichigo was staring down at the slightly wounded body that at least used to belong to him... and he had every intention of reclaiming it.

"Sheesh, couldn't you have been a bit louder?" the mod soul commented, dodging the first attempt to get grabbed by Ichigo

"It got your attention. Now give up your, no... _my_ body already!" the boy shouted.

"I like your body. It's comfortable" came his response, giving Ichigo enough time to catch him.

The third, humanoid hollow took the moment's lapse in attention to attack... though that ended up in a disaster, as both Ichigo and the mod soul slammed a foot each into it's face.

"Get lost!" both 'youths' shouted at the hollow, which now sports a broken mask, and instead of disintegrating like normally, it dropped down into a broken heap, blood oozing out of the cracks.

The two of them blinked in surprise. Were hollows supposed to be that easy to defeat?

"You really seem to attract trouble Ichigo" came Naruto's calm voice, the teen having jumped from his comfortable position on the roof, much to the dismay of the black cat nestling on his shoulder. Rukia, who had only just arrived recognized the blond, wondering why he was carrying a cat on his shoulders... and even more why the cat was _studying_ them

"Hey Rukia, I see you guys finally caught up with the mod soul" he cheerfully added, noting the arrival of Urahara and his group. While he was somewhat disappointed that the action part ended, he was mostly glad that things had settled down peacefully. Regardless of his profession, Naruto wasn't a big fan of people dying... he had seen too many close friends die on the battlefield to wish that on another. Those who struck him, or those precious to him were exempt from such rules, of course

"Damn it! And I was just thinking I'd get to blast something" Jinta whined loudly, only to receive a bonk on the head from Tessai.

"Looks like we're a bit late. Hm... nearly everyone's here" Urahara commented, a slight hint of annoyance present. He was late, yet again. Wonderful. Quite similarly to another present blond, he was considering whether god was a woman with a very nasty sense of humor.

"Great..." Ichigo groaned in annoyance.

"Now that we're all here, let's get back to the subjects at hand, shall we?" Naruto calmly stated in a voice that left no room for argument to anyone present. One of the things he had picked up even before he had become Hokage was authority. In other words, when he spoke others _listened_

"Care to explain what the hell is that?" the blond asked, pointedly staring at Urahara while hiking a finger at Ichigo's body. Honestly, did things really have to be so complicated? He truly wondered at times. Just as he noted that Urahara was going to start speaking, Naruto dropped the hand and the stare, deciding it really wasn't worth it "Come to think of it I'm no longer sure I want to know...to risk sounding like an old friend, this day is just _too_ troublesome and I need a damned drink"

"Someone's feeling nervous" Jinta offhandedly joked, and ended up the target of a rather pointed glare, the kind that melted holes in steel.

"Let's just end this before someone gets killed, alright?" Urahara did his best to diffuse the situation. The effort was interrupted by the sound of a twig breaking.

It was at that point that all of them noticed that there were two hollows nearby, doing their best to remain inconspicuous and sneak away from the growing number of downright deadly people... suffice to say that they failed, epically. Several moments later, Kisuke Urahara, who was holding a smoking device/weapon over his shoulder, and Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, who was effortlessly hefting his sword over his shoulder were both looking drastically more relaxed., with a content smile pulling on their lips.

However, this moment's peace was not meant to last, as Naruto, Kisuke, Yoruichi and Tessai immediately tensed up again.

"What is it?" Rukia asked in a worried tone, hand already going for the phone with the built-in hollow detector.

"You won't need that" Naruto commented in a slightly worried voice, resealing the sword and dropping into a stance made for speedy movement. The buildup of energy was growing painfully obvious, focusing on a growing number of points throughout the area.

"They're here already" Kisuke added, throwing the discharged weapon to Jinta "Take it back to the shop. Ururu, you go with him. Lock the place down until we arrive."

"Is this a delayed effect?" Naruto asked the resident scientist, both already preparing to strike at the strongest point of the incursion.

"Doubtful. This is a whole new thing. It seems we weren't as thorough as we thought, or someone else decided to do something stupid" came his answer, Urahara already calculating everything, and preparing a counterattack.

"I'm picking out five focal points for the energy"Naruto commented "My detectors also inform me that the targets are all the spiritually aware." he added

"Locations?" Tessai surprisingly asked.

"All marked." Naruto announced, glad that the place was clear of any civilians. Four clones sprung into existence around him, prepared to guide the groups while he himself took one location.

The group dispersed in seconds, and Rukia was left to watch the sobering efficiency in which the groups worked. The cat transformed mid-leap into a dark-skinned woman that literally vanished in a flash, just as Urahara and Tessai did, each of them following a single clone. Naruto? Naruto simply ceased to exist at his position, apparently going to another. Ichigo rushed off after the last clone, and she continued after him, quickly joined by the mod soul. The battle had been joined once more.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto had been consistently asking himself just why did God hate him. At every opportune moment for relaxing, or having fun, something just had to pop out. And at this point a veritable blob of blackness descended from a crack in the sky, falling on the ground before him. While he definitely wanted this to and as soon as possible, he was also annoyed as hell, and wanted to beat up something. All jokes aside, he had found that directed violence, especially if directed at your enemies, was incredibly therapeutic

The blob dissolved, revealing a somewhat strange body... he was growing used to the varying bizarre appearances of various hollows. It was a vaguely feline creature, with bright green skin, in many ways reminiscent of a tiger, including the massive paws and sharp teeth apparently. An oversize cat with scales covering most of it's body and a scorpion-like tail, a deadly, and likely poisonous stinger atop it.

With a great deal of self control, Naruto took a single step forward, unsealing the blade Quicksilver and grasping the handle with both hands.

"Frankly" he started "I don't know who you are and I don't give a fuck. Right now, I want my damn sleeping and drinking time, so I'll cut this short"

The hollow watched him in something that he guessed was a mixture of annoyance and anger. Not that he gave a damn. Focusing insane amounts of chakra into his hands and legs, he dropped into the stance of one of the execution techniques of his self-made style of swordsmanship.

_'Dance of Ruin' _he mentally started, raising the blade over his shoulders and dropping every aspect of his defense, beckoning the enemy to attack. And the cat did so, leaping straight at him for the kill. Naruto felt his body tense, every single muscle in his body coiling up for the attack, preparing to unleash terrible amounts of power on their victim

And in a moment it happened, the dam broke and his body moved, vanishing and reappearing behind the hollow. Every single muscle uncoiled in an instant, extracting the maximum amount of power from his body, and putting it all behind the sword.

"**Glorious Heaven's Dividing Edge**" he intoned quietly, giving the sword a short shake to cleanse the blood as the hollow behind him was split into two diagonally, it's two halves disintegrating before they hit the floor. Naruto calmly resealed the sword into the tattoo on his palm.

"Now let's see where I can get something to drink..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kisuke found his part of the job to be ridiculously easy, just two dozen minor hollows that were easily by a few slashes of the sword. He was curious about the strange reiatsu he felt at the location. There was no hollow bait this time, despite his expectation. However, the hollows didn't just drop by for a cup of tea. No, they were sent here, and since these were nearly mindless, he doubted he could get any information out of them regardless of his efforts and skills.

But what purpose did these constant attacks serve? Were they to probe for resistance? Mere raids? Or something more sinister? He was uncertain. Sheathing his sword-cane, he turned, and started slowly walking back towards his shop. Something was happening, he was now sure of it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ichigo scowled once more at his opposition. While he was skilled enough to defeat the ten hollows in seconds, these were different from the ones he fought before. Luckily the mod soul that was with him was more than just a pretty face (his own of course).

"Hey, 'me'. Do you have a name?" Ichigo asked, voice still irritated because of the fact that he had to fight... again. The ten hollows surrounded them in a circle, while Rukia remained a bit away, waiting for a good moment to strike.

"Nah... not really." the mod soul answered, kicking the first one that came at them.

"I see... how bout..." Ichigo stopped for a moment, taking the opportunity to eviscerate a second comer "Kon?"

"Could be worse I guess" the newly named Kon answered, using Ichigo's shoulders as a springboard to attack another hollow while the two of them switched sides. Just as a hollow attempted to attack them from the side it was destroyed by a ball of blue fire. A few meters away, Rukia was panting, her right hand extended as the left hand gripped it near the elbow.

"What? Did you guys think I'd let you have all the fun"

_(18:00, Urahara Shop Backroom)_

It was a rather curious group that had been gathered within Kisuke's shop after the fight. He had to admit that much. And the funny thing was, apart from him, Yoruichi and Tessai, none were older than 17, and that was only Naruto apparently. It was also interesting to watch the positions they each took, such details were always interesting to him, they always spoke volumes.

Within the tea room, as he often referred to it, were essentially three groups. His own group, consisting of his staff and Yoruichi, the second, consisting of Ichigo and his friends, and strangely enough, the third, consisting out of Naruto and the mod soul, by now dubbed 'Kon' by Ichigo, that was extracted from the teen's body and stuffed into a discarded lion plushy... something Kon loudly opposed to. Multiple times, even going as far as to add castration threats.

But it was also very quiet, the groups each having their own thoughts over the subjects at hand. And there were a few, considering that three other guests were to arrive soon. The first would of course be the subject of Shinigami and Hollows, along with Ichigo's powers. Second, would likely be the status of Naruto Uzumaki. Well, that would at least be properly entertaining, or so he thought. And the third and final would be the status of the powerful artifact he had created, the so-called Orb of Distortion. That was the part he wasn't looking forward to, because he expected he would require a good doctor by the time he was done, or worse, a new gigai. The look Naruto was keeping worried him slightly, he had seen it more than a few times over the last century, especially during World War II, on veteran soldiers that were about to go to battle. Perfectly relaxed, taking their time in carefully, experiencing every sensation of the world around them. The more he watched him, the more he doubted that Naruto was _just_ seventeen years old.

Naruto was rather content. He had finally gotten to vent his aggression a bit, and had gotten something to drink. He even found out about the mod soul, no, Kon, on the way back, by listening as Rukia explained it to the others that joined them. He was also wise enough NOT to comment on the kindergarten drawings of bears and bunnies that Rukia used to describe things... apparently, Ichigo still failed the learn the subtle art of tact. Then again, who was he to say, considering that it took him years to stop making an idiot of himself and turning into a respectable ninja?

Another gulp of sake chased those worries away. He had long ago learned to art of appreciating it, even going as far as to learn how to stop his metabolism from destroying alcohol faster than he imbibed it.

But still, today would be a tiresome one. It reminded him too much of the bad days back then, during the last war, when runners would come in bearing bad news, or the days he had to visit families an tell them that their children, parents or siblings had died. He remained deathly calm, but his body was relaxed, eyes closed to focus on the fine scent of the drink in his hand.

"Uhm, can anyone please explain what happened the last few days?" came Orihime's uncertain voice. The looks shared between some of those present were even more uncertain.

"Why don't I start for now, hmm? Before I say anything, keep in mind that this knowledge does not leave this room." Urahara spoke, knowing that a few of the people present expected it of him. Those at whom this comment was aimed at nodded in acceptance. And so he started, making a long speech about Shinigami, Hollows, Soul Society, Ichigo and Rukia being Shinigami, the whole deal. And apart from Naruto who was still apparently drinking and his own group, all were paying a great deal of attention to the story. Finally, it was Mizuiro who interrupted him

".. and how exactly does that affect us?" he asked in his usual polite tone, though the curiosity beneath it was very much visible. Naruto's smirk at Urahara's unease was well hidden by the saucer from which he was drinking.

"You, and by that I mean Orihime-san, Tatsuki-san, Sado-san, Keigo-san and you Mizuiro-san are all what we call 'spiritually aware', in other words you can see spirits and possess a certain level of spiritual energy in your own bodies.. Urahara stopped for a moment "Right now, it is uncertain whether that will remain simply awareness, or if it will develop further, however, there is a decision you must each make for yourselves. If you remain spiritually aware, you will become a target for hollows, and growing numbers will come after you as time passes. Eventually, either you will develop some form of control over the growing energy in you, or you will die." he grimly stated, bearing down the full weight of the situation upon them "There would have been an alternative, however, for one reason or another, your minds resist any attempts at memory modification. So, from this point onward, you will all receive a bit of... help in handling yourselves." he added, contently sipping his tea, and waiting their reactions. And of course, he wasn't disappointed.

Chad took it stoically, although one could see a faint sliver of curiosity and interest in the situation. From what he could tell the boy cared little for power, except for the way it could be used to protect those close to him. Inoue was cheerful, for reasons he was beginning to comprehend, such as her affections for the Kurosaki boy. Then there were Keigo and Mizuiro, whose reactions were very similar, a mixture of being ecstatic, worried and just plain curious.

Tatsuki Arisawa had the hardest to read reaction of them all. Apart from Ichigo, she was the only real fighter among them, having trained karate for years, but she was reserved with her reactions, seemingly the only one truly worried, realizing the weight of the situation. He understood it well, the choice of leaving a comfortable life behind for something different, and worse, the situation where that choice was torn from your hands before you had any say in it.

Ichigo remained perfectly silent, and so did Rukia next to him. The group didn't seem all that surprised about their current status, being more focused on their own situation, and strangely enough Naruto... though it seemed that they weren't the only ones.

The blond sighed in slight annoyance, lowering the saucer on the low table in front of him. He was visibly sullen, the past was not a subject he was fond of talking about.

"Fine. I guess it's my turn now." he quietly stated "My full name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, former Hokage of the shinobi village of Konoha in the Elemental Countries."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **And, insert evil cliffhanger. Honestly, it took me forever to write this damned chapter. Still, I guess it cold have gone worse. Also, the other story, With But a Pull of the Strings will be coming out later today or tomorrow, mostly because I've gotten stuck with studying the past few days. I need to write about three or four more pages and it should be done.

Concerning this chapter. I wanted to give the whole group a starting advantage of knowledge while they develop during the next few chapters. This arc will be dedicated to the revelation of a bit of history behind the events that happened and those that will follow

_Naruto's profile_

_Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze_

_Position : Currently freelancer, former Sixth Fire Shadow (Hokage) of Konohagakure_

_Classification : Former Container of the Nine-tailed Fox, Demon_

_Distinguishing marks : Spiky blond hair, purple eyes, a large number of scars and tattoos. Tendency to wear casual clothes in combat_

_Unusual abilities: Eidetic memory, Master level acting skills, Jutsu and seal development prodigy, demonic chakra, sole Hiraishin user, sole Chakra Art user, creator of Contingency arrays, sole Radiance user_

_Ninja abilities : Sealing Grand Master(Strongest seal user in the Elemental countries), Ninjutsu Master (All elements, focus on Wind and Water), Kenjutsu Master (Dance of Ruin Style, with swords Quicksilver and Song of the Wind), Taijutsu Master (White Lotus style, Black Lotus style, Twin Mirror Lotus style), ANBU level stealth and trapping skills, Genius tactician, Skilled strategist, low level medical skills, extreme stamina and durability, regeneration, Shadow Clone Master, low Genjutsu skills_

_Threat level : Shinigami captain in power, above that in skill._

_If caught off guard – 9/10, if given time and knowledge to prepare – write a will.11/10_

Comparatively, Yamamoto is stronger than Naruto... in an open fight, something that Naruto would never allow himself. Conversely, so are Kenpachi, Ukitake and Shunsui, but the same rules apply. He works along similar principles to Aizen, avoiding combat where possible, but striking swiftly and lethally when needed.

Well, that's about it. Happy holidays everyone, and I hope you enjoy the chapter :D


	7. Revelations : The Orb

**Author's Ramblings:** Well, it's been a while since I last updated this story... my muse decided she favored another tale... Anyho, here's the newest chapter, and things finally begin to move, even if it is at a slightly slower pace. The Soul Society arc should begin in a few chapters, two or three at most, and I'm laying the groundwork here :D

Also, there is a small homage to Gintama present. Cookies to those who figure out what

So, without any further ado, enjoy.

* * *

_Chapter 7 : Revelations : The Orb_

"Fine. I guess it's my turn now." he quietly stated "My full name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, former Hokage of the shinobi village of Konoha in the Elemental Countries."

His voice was strong, proud and confident as he stood up, the stance telling nothing of the seventeen-year-old boy, but instead of a leader, a warrior tempered by years of experience. A man who lead by word and act, a man who struck fear into the hearts of his enemies and brought hope to those of his allies. All this was brought forth merely by his presence. It was the kind of man who brought forth revolutions, who led hopeless armies to victories over vastly superior foes, the kind of man that you really didn't want to see on the opposite side of the battlefield.

No one present dared to call him a liar or to question his words, there were things that just couldn't be faked and his presence was one of them. And then it seemingly vanished, the serious face replaced by a foxy grin.

"And...?" Ichigo said, trying to goad him to continue. Naruto remained silent for a few moments

"Let me offer you some advice Ichigo."Naruto stated in a cold voice, bringing up chills up everyone's spines" With certain bits of knowledge comes great responsibility, which I doubt you are ready for yet. And there are things you are better off not knowing" he suggested in a low voice which shut them up instantly. Somewhere in his mind the image of the broken body of his dead wife flashed for a moment. No, there truly were things he was better of not knowing.

"Now that that's out of the way, weren't you supposed to have a few more visitors Urahara-san?" he politely asked, voice and act back to normal.

"Why yes, now that you mention it... Tessai, would you be so kind to escort the kids downstairs and give them something basic to work on? A bit of training would do them good" Kisuke asked his old friend, who nodded with a short grunt of agreement, guiding the entire group to the back, where the entrance to the training ground was located. Rukia was the last of the group, and just as she was about to leave, she heard Kisuke's voice once more calling

"Just a minute Kuchiki-san. This situation concerns you as well. I think it would be prudent for you to stay here and listen." he stated in a very serious voice. The girl silently obeyed, seating herself near Naruto. In her mind, she felt Naruto was a protective presence, and she wasn't far off. Naruto recognized the gesture, but gave no visible response to it. For a whole minute after the others left, silence reigned in the room, until the faint sound of footsteps could be heard approaching. The sliding door opened to reveal two rather different figures.

The first was, to Naruto the already familiar face of Isshin Kurosaki, the man who brought him to Karakura town and set him up with contacts here. The man was dressed different from what he usually wore, a fine black suit, with a dark blue shirt, and black tie, along with polished black shoes. His hair was still it's usual mess, something that apparently ran in the family, but he wasn't going to comment. The man looked serious, a far cry from the usually whimsical persona. His companion was no different, dressed in an elegant beige suit with black shoes and a dark grayish-blue shirt beneath it. He had pale silver hair, dark skin, and a pair of glasses over eyes that were narrowed, and nearly closed, leaving him unable to tell the color.

"Urahara" the other man shortly saluted, while Isshin remained quiet, hands in his pockets as he walked.

"Ishida-san, why all the hostility?" Kisuke jokingly asked, though by the looks he got in return, Naruto had a feeling the were deserved.

"You do realize what date it is tomorrow?" Isshin courtly asked, face and voice unusually cold. "I said I won't hold you guilty for what happened, but that's the one day I don't want to see you... even if it's the end of the world"

Naruto was surprised to see Kisuke actually shiver at the voice as he nodded

"You know it's hopeless Isshin-kun... you might as well ask him to stop being a pervert" Yoruichi quietly added from her comfortable perch on a nearby chair.

"Yoruichi-san? Sorry, I didn't see you there" Isshin honestly apologized, the hostile mood instantly gone. His companion shook his head disdainfully, though Naruto could tell that it was faked, at least partially. The man had taken stock of all those present here, especially Naruto and Rukia, neither of which he recognized. Naruto made a mental note _not_ to make an enemy of the guy, nor of any of those present. Regardless of his own power, these were all capable people, and he had little reason to doubt they could come up with a way to restrain him, if not defeat him. He had no interest ending up as Kyuubi did, in someone's gut.

"A new friend, Shihoin-san?" the other man asked the cat, taking a short glance at Naruto and Rukia

"Mhm... you haven't been formally introduced yet. Naruto Uzumaki, meet Ryuken Ishida" the cat-woman introduced them, waving a black paw between them

"A pleasure" Naruto stated, standing up and offering his hand to the man

"I am sure" Ryuken replied politely, without ill intent, accepting it.

"And the lady is Rukia Kuchiki" Yoruichi continued, while the girl offered a formal bow

"Nice to meet you" she offered as the man returned a short bow.

"Likewise Kuchiki-san" Ryuken returned, before turning to their host "Shall we get this over with Urahara? My sister will be waiting for me, and she isn't exactly patient." he coldly commented.

"Fine, fine. What's with you people today? You know I don't call you for trite matters" Kisuke retorted

"And that's exactly why we're worried Kisuke." Isshin added. "Your calls usually mean trouble... not that we mind though... life would be boring otherwise, eh Ryuken?"

"Stop speaking nonsense Kurosaki" the man calmly responded "I am hardly fond of trouble"

Naruto and Rukia were sitting and calmly observing the exchange from the background... no need to get caught in the line of fire needlessly. They remained quiet as the discussion proceeded, veiled and not-so-veiled insults going back and forth. Naruto finally got bored at some point and decided to intervene

"Do you mind people? We all have obligations to fulfill later on.." he asked, bringing up an instant silence.

"Right..." Urahara mouthed "The reason I called you here... is the hogyoku. " he quietly stated, but the voice was different. This was no longer the handsome but slightly perverted shopkeeper. It spoke of coldness and efficiency, of the ages old scientist behind the handsome face. However, there was also the sign of a great sadness, and of shame

"Rukia-san, I'm afraid I have wronged you, greatly, though at the time I truly had no other choice. I doubt you have heard of the object I speak off, Commander Yamamoto and the Court have made sure that even those who did kept their mouths shut, so we'll enlighten you." he started.

Naruto perked up slightly over this as he was just as interested in what he was going to say. He figured that this was what Kisuke was keeping from them, but if the look he was wearing now was any indication, there was a damn good reason for staying silent

Kisuke made a short break to take another sip of his drink. He had talked a lot today.

"Kisuke-kun over there, in what was likely another of his scientific crazes, created something that he shouldn't have" Isshin continued the story

"What else is new" Yoruichi quietly grumbled

"Quite" the elder Kurosaki commented "The Hogyoku, the Orb of Distortion as it was also called breaks the boundaries between shinigami and hollow, creating Vaizards and Arrancar in the process."

"Originally I had created it to allow shinigami to evolve even further, to break the barriers that kept them from growing even further... but what I created was far too powerful and unstable to safely use on any living being. It was a tool that had a mind of it's own, one that was as malevolent as they got" he explained "At first, I merely made it dormant, currently unable to find a way to destroy it... but then all hell broke loose and I was forced to hide it temporarily in a body that would slowly but surely either hide it or destroy it"

"I volunteered" Isshin shortly commented "As a former captain involved with the Hollowification incident, I was... uniquely suited for it. With the help of Ryuken's father, Soken, Kisuke interred the orb in a specially prepared gigai, and then had me possess it. I managed to keep it a secret for the better part of eighty years, however, at that point my soul rejected it. Since then, Kisuke was the one to keep it in his body" the old man finished. "And around then I met Masaki. We married and had kids. Life went on."

A short silence descended on them as the information.

"But then you came along Rukia." he stated, and Rukia slowly began understanding just what had happened.

"It's inside me, isn't' it?" she quietly asked, bringing up nods from all present.

"My body could no longer keep it and you were the only soul compatible to the specific type of gigai needed to suppress it's powers. It also hampered the refilling of your reserves, something you likely noticed." Urahara stated. At this point he had revealed everything he had done. He knew that Ryuken, even if unwilling, cooperated with him, because he knew just how much power that artifact had. Isshin was along for the ride for his own reasons, and among them was the protection of his family, even if he couldn't tell his son about it yet. There were secrets he had to hide, because he knew well if he spoke... all hell would break loose, and teams would be sent to kill both him and what remained of his family afterward... and the hunters would likely next come for him too, if only to hide the embarrassing truths from the Seireitei public.

Rukia sat quietly, her face a mask of sadness, mixed with small amounts of anger, hurt and betrayal.

Next to her, Naruto sighed quietly, reminding himself of the old saying... The road to hell was paved with good intentions. He put his hand around the girl in a friendly gesture, silently offering his support, to which she smiled, if only slightly.

"There is one other thing you should be aware of before you make any decisions" Kisuke continued "There is a reason why I strive so hard to hide the Hogyoku. Unfortunately, I lack both the powers and the tools necessary to destroy it, so I am forced to hide it from those who would abuse it's powers."

"You have someone in mind already, do you?" Naruto asked quietly, because only he and Rukia were out of the loop.

"I do... and I've had him for over a century. Ever heard of Aizen?" Kisuke quietly asked, for a moment the calm face dropping it's guard, and voice dripping with venom at the mention of the name. Naruto had noticed that the others in the room had similar reactions.

"Captain Aizen? What about him?" Rukia asked, seemingly oblivious to what they were implying, but Naruto didn't miss it.

"He was the one responsible for the incident over a hundred years ago. He had countless Shinigami kidnapped, killed or experimented upon, turned into little more than mindless monsters. I may have had my moments at times, but not even I am that cruel" Kisuke explained

Rukia's face widened in shock and disbelief. The kind and caring captain, the image of what a good man was supposed to be... had done _that_? Even if things were mostly classified, and if it indeed was before her time, she had heard about it, knowing that a number of captains and lieutenants had gone renegade, after being accused of performing illegal experiments on their fellow shinigami. But what he said would mean that...

"You are quite correct in that line of thought" Yoruichi stated, seemingly reading her mind. "The man is a snake that slithers in tall grass. Deception is his greatest skill, and he has the patience to plot decades ahead of time."

Naruto took the words to heart. The man had reminded him too well of his previous arch nemesis, Madara. He wasn't yet sure if he was ready to pit his skills against such an enemy again, but if his new found friends were to face such a foe.... they'd need all the help they could get. Great, he had gotten himself into a big pile of trouble, yet again... he wondered if it could be called a talent.

"One question thought... if you could implant the Hogyoku into one soul, couldn't you just extract it and put into another?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"Quite easily, why do you ask?" Urahara asked, now curious

"I might have an idea..." he answered, holding a look that Urahara knew well from looking at the mirror.

_(At the same time, Training Grounds beneath Urahara's Shop)_

Ichigo Kurosaki was not having a good day. Why you might ask... because his friend Tatsuki had shown an unearthly talent in controlling her own Reiatsu. With what had been a few simple instructions from Tessai, she had already caught up to his own speed, and due to the fact that he didn't use his sword against her... he was outclassed by the constantly practicing girl, at least in this aspect. The blows weren't strong yet... but he had a bad feeling it would only be a mater of days before they were. Still, his own skills were improving as well. With Rukia's limited guidance, his skills at controlling his rapidly growing reserves were pathetic at best. Now, that Tessai and that annoying brat Jinta took their time to explain the finer details, he had grasped quite a few things he thus far failed to grip. He was used to learning through instinct in battle, either by adapting and improvising, or by watching what others did and applying it on himself, but this new found skill intrigued even him.

"Don't go all lost on me Kurosaki, or I'll beat you to a bloody pulp!" Tatsuki threatened as she sent a fast kick to his face. Ichigo grinned as he dodged the blow

"Dream on Arisawa, That way you just might" he teased back as he moved his head slightly, letting the blow brush past him, while he grabbed her leg, pulling her in for a full punch to the chest. The girl grumbled as she flew back, regaining her lost air.

Tatsuki had to admit, even if she did train almost every day, and was likely one of the toughest people in Karakura, Ichigo had an edge over her. She reminded herself of the explanation that that crazy shopkeeper had given, along with the fact that Ichigo used to fight a lot of gangs.. and later, those hollow creatures she saw. She knew that one couldn't compare sparring and actual life-or-death fighting, but it still annoyed her to no end.

"Dammit, will you stay still so I can hit you?"

"Where would be the point in that?" Ichigo responded "Besides, you're improving!" he shouted, landing a solid punch to her shoulder, and sending her skidding over the dirt.

"That's enough Kurosaki-san, Arisawa-san" Tessai shouted from a safe distance "Both of you are progressing well, though you could still use more training."

Nearby, the others sat quietly and watched, mildly impressed by the way the two of them fought. Tatsuki had an instinctive grasp on reinforcing her body, while Ichigo simply lacked the explanation how to do it. He would have figured it out sooner or later, but this way, he was made even deadlier should the need arise.

The rest of the group had varied success. Keigo and Mizuiro found it unusually hard... unlike the others they lacked any talent in the area, and while Chad and Inoue were scarily talented, it was Inoue that brought the strongest reaction from Tessai.

He had been showing her what passed as a basic exercise in controlling one's energies: meditation. The girl took to it like a fish to water, cheerfully and utterly successfully. Half an hour later, Tessai decided to try something

"Orihime-san, there is something I want you to try." he stated, pulling out a small crystal.

Common misconception had it that the use of Kido was relatively easy and weak (especially popular if you were a member of one of the more aggressive, combat-oriented divisions)

Nothing was further from the truth, as even the most basic of Kido spells were complicated to learn at first, and the very act of transforming one's vital energy into firepower was no joke either. However, for the master of the art that was Tessai, such limits simply weren't there. He could freely interchange his reiatsu into kido and back, going far enough to develop counters to most of the conventional kido spells.

Commonly, there were ninety-nine levels of spells, divided into two paths, better known as Hado, the Demon or Destruction Path and Bakudo, the Path of Binding. The names were deceptive at best, since both schools contained spells capable of both restraining and killing, though Bakudo focused more on the first and Hado on the second. Below those were the zero level spells, things that most Shinigami forgot about once they graduated from the academy as they were considered useless in combat, and they were mostly used to being provided for.

And that was exactly what Tessai had in mind. He was content to have a potential student, though he didn't want to get his hopes high yet. The crystal was an aptitude test, as it directly converted Reiki into Kido, producing a small light in the process. Useless in combat, it served as an educational aid, the strength of the light based on how much one could funnel and refine his energy into and through the crystal. The stronger the light, the better the instinctive control over one's energies, and the higher the maximum level one could reach.

"Since you already figured out how to use your Reiatsu, I want you to try and channel it into this gem, alright?" he asked kindly, handing it over to the slightly confused girl.

"Okay" she cheerfully responded a second later.

And Tessai controlled the urge to curse. Barely. Others weren't as fortunate as a bright blast of light temporarily blinded everyone looking at her, Inoue included.

He couldn't help but smile at the event. Talent? If she was in the academy she would have been scoped by the Kido Corps by now for apprenticeship and personal training. Her intellect, from what he had heard, was also a rather positive trait... Kido was an art of the mind, not of the body.

She was drained by the event, nothing overly surprising considering the fact that she had started less than an hour ago. Capacity could be trained by constant use. But there was a part that surprised him. The Reiatsu that was released wasn't that of a Shinigami... he didn't really expect that considering that she was still human. It was very alike to that of Chad, a darker, more potent energy, but not clearly belonging anywhere

"Ehm... did I do good?" she asked, smiling somewhat sheepishly.

"Good? You were excellent!" the man enthusiastically confirmed "You show great talent for the arts of Kido, and if you are willing I would like to teach you more of it, in your free time of course"

"Okay" she agreed"When do we start?" her naïve sounding response may have fooled most of those present... Tatsuki wasn't among them. Inoue was far from the harmless, helpless girl she looked.. and it didn't help that she was a black belt too. The only reasons why she acted so meekly was the fact that she was a devout pacifist, completely against killing or even seriously hurting people and her inherent kindness. And she was smart enough to grasp resources that were offered to her, if only to protect those she cared for at some point. Given good guidance and teaching... she would become powerful.

_(Seireitei, Halls of the First Division)_

An uneasy silence stood between the captains of the Thirteen Court Guards, lead by Genryusai Yamamoto, Captain of the First Division, as Mayuri Kurotsuchi prepared to begin his speech, smiling, his face glowing with what to the silent horror of many seemed to be _enthusiasm_. The youngest among them, Toushiro Hitsugaya, felt sorry for the unfortunate creature that drew the man's attention, a sentiment shared by many of them

Still that wasn't the reason for the silence. The reason was the conflict between the Onmitsukido and Mayuri's daughter and lieutenant... and the fact that both sides gave opposing reports.

"Begin Captain Kurotsuchi" Yamamoto ordered in his usual deep voice.

"Yes. Hmm. Yesterday, at exactly 21:00, a surge of unknown energy came from the world of the living, more precisely from Karakura town, where the presence of an Adjuchas level hollow was detected a few minutes before that. The energy wasn't reiatsu, and no known source produces anything like it, so I took the liberty of sending my lieutenant to investigate it. Before she was rudely interrupted, she managed to track down an individual that was present to a local high school. Before she could properly identify him, she was attacked"

"Your lieutenant attacked my men Captain" Soifon coldly corrected him

"Personally, I don't really care" Mayuri countered "But you should know that the surge of energy easily rivaled what a captain could put out in level" he calmly added "Though we might never know who or what it was now. By the way, wasn't that near the area where your younger sister is stationed captain Kuchiki?" he prodded on.

If Byakuya Kuchiki was provoked in any way, he showed no sign of it as he gave a bored look to the scientist. Even if on the inside, he was concerned for his adoptive sister.

"Regardless, I think we should ask her for whatever knowledge she has" Mayuri finished off "as my own research has produced limited results"

"Captain Kurotsuchi, is there any chance that the burst of energy came from an object, rather than a being?" captain Aizen Sosuke asked tentatively

"None" Mayuri retorted, putting a finger under his chin "Though I cannot even begin to guess what kind of a creature it was... but if I had to guess.... it's not human, nor hollow, nor shinigami"

This statement brought out a rather loud argument on the subject, one which commander Yamamoto didn't see fit to join, remaining silent for a while. However, that didn't last long, as his patience for such things was indeed limited

"Silence!" he spoke, barely a bit louder than he did usually, but sufficient to bring order to the chamber

"The reason I called you here was this. By her actions, Rukia Kuchiki has broken the laws of Soul Society, and the Central 46 Chambers have decided that she is to be retrieved and suitably punished by imprisonment for two hundred years. Captain Kuchiki, I ask that you take care of this issue. A full report on his actions and any additional measures that need to be taken will be delivered to your office within the hour" Yamamoto sternly stated, bringing forth an even more uneasy silence. He himself was uneasy about this, as the actions the Kuchiki girl had taken were against the law... however they were warranted by her situation. Even so, he was forced to adhere to the rule of the Central 46, as much as he didn't like it at times.

_(01:00, Naruto's Apartment)_

Naruto groaned as he threw himself on the bed. He was damn tired, and he needed sleep. He was very grateful that the situation had resolved itself peacefully, and he was more than ready for some well earned sleep. Playing a goddamn mediator was no fun. But thankfully, tomorrow was Saturday, and there was no school to be had. High school life didn't suit him too well, even if he did find it relaxing. He passed tests with average grades, even if he could do better. He had no need of doing better, for the arsenal of skills he possessed would land him a job sooner or later, or he could simply go and find one. Neither was really an issue.

He threw off most of his clothes before he dropped onto his bed to sleep.

But lo and behold, sleep was hard to come. Nearly laughing at the situation, he got up, taking a short walk to his bathroom for a warm, pleasant bath. Taking a look at his reflection and making a mental note to shave in the morning, he began filling the tub with scalding hot water. One of the side effects of his new demonic status was that the normal, warm water had reduced pleasant effects on him, and that he needed to raise the temperature by at least a few degrees before he could properly enjoy it.

It was funny to him in many ways, the fact that he really didn't care about being a demon, apart for the fact that he now had a number of things to rediscover. He was sure Kyuubi, wherever he was, would be laughing his ass off at Naruto's discomfort. Even with all his regal stature, Kyuubi was still a fox, and it was there that he got his own prankster nature. Both always enjoyed a good laugh.

Contently sighing as he descended into the hot water, Naruto relaxed. Time passed quickly for him as he slipped between sleep and awake, and finally, once the water had cooled down, he got up, wrapping himself into a comfortable bathing robe. He'd have to thank Urahara for it.

The night outside was surprisingly clear, so he walked to the small balcony, taking one of the chairs and a blanket with him as he sat outside. Not exactly the smartest way to spend a night, but he really didn't care at this moment

_(Same time, Urahara's Shop)_

Yoruichi was also having trouble sleeping, though thanks to the cat naps she tended to take, that wasn't nearly as much of an issue to her, so she took her time lazing about on the roof in her human form. It was relaxing, though she had to wear clothes.... something she wasn't that fond off, especially after spending so much of her time as a cat, completely unrestrained.

Her thoughts, however, were nowhere near her choice of clothes. Instead they were focused on one curious blond with amethyst eyes. He was a sharp one, cunning, intelligent and she was now certain, dangerous. The offer he had made was a strange one at best, but that didn't concern her. Steps had been taken, at his insistence, to ensure that the Hogyoku couldn't be abused so easily.

She was no longer even remotely concerned about him being a threat. He had made it clear beyond a doubt. His power was aimed solely at those who brought those he protected to harm.

'_Even if the gods themselves raise their hands to harm those precious to me I will kill them_' he had stated, with frightening conviction. _'But I will not fight their battles. No friend would deny them the growth which was rightfully theirs' _she remembered him adding with a serene smile, completely at odds with his previous statement. Even the elder Ishida was impressed by him, and that was no small achievement. But to her surprise, so was she, yet again.

She didn't really know where to put Naruto. He was 17, little doubt about it. But he wasn't a boisterous teenager, nor was he simply someone aged by war. The cheerful exterior wasn't an act, but neither was the cold, hard other part that seemed to be it's exact opposite. The thing that was the real shocker was his sheer honesty. He simply didn't care to deceive those he didn't see as enemies. If he didn't want you to know something, he simply didn't tell you.

She grinned at that. It would be so much fun to get him to talk. She even considered sharing her own past in return for it. That, and a decent amount of wine. He had taken a liking to it, and she simply loved it. Quietly giggling at her thoughts, she descended from the roof, going straight for bed. Even if she couldn't sleep, the bed was more comfortable.

_(02:00 Kurosaki Home)_

Ichigo was also counted among those sleepless tonight, as his world once more took a turn for the bizarre. Truly, he should be getting used to it by now. A part of him even wondered what kind of weird thing would happen tomorrow. Still, as was quickly becoming a trend among the people around him, it was Naruto's statements that confused him the most. None of what he had stated made any sense. Hidden Leaf village? Fire Shadow? Those sounded like something out of a bad edition of Jump, rather than reality.

But the way he had stated that left little doubt to it's truth. The skills he had displayed a little while ago were no less impressive. He knew he wouldn't be among the living anymore had he not intervened that night. So just who was Naruto Uzumaki?

Silently cursing, he sat on his bed.

"Great, I can't sleep now" he muttered, bringing up the attention of the lion plushy.

"Nee Ichigo, is something wrong?" Kon asked in mild concern. He had taken a liking to Ichigo for his actions and decisions. Not to mention for offering him a home in return for help now and then

"Just thinking... can't get what Naruto said out of my mind" he replied, not really facing him.

"Hmmm...." Kon turned to him, his fluffy paws taking up a thinking position, and then his expression brightened "I know what you need!" he stated, bringing about a slightly curious, and concerned look from Ichigo.

"What Kon?" he asked, a slight note of trepidation present.

"A girlfriend!" Kon triumphantly announced, only to be smacked by a flying pillow a second later

"I just had to ask... not like I haven't got enough troublesome women in my life as it is" Ichigo muttered in annoyance before his eyes met the calendar. They widened slightly when he realized what date it was.

"Tomorrow, huh?" he quietly muttered, all signs of his irritation fleeing, and leaving him in a somber mood, leaving Kon to wonder what was going on. He certainly wasn't in the mood to explain things

* * *

**Author's Notes**: This is a slightly shorter chapter than usual, but honestly, I barely managed to finish it by now. This was meant as a prep for the coming events, and though I won't give any promises, all hell is likely to break loose soon. Also, I didn't want Naruto to reveal too much about himself, so he basically gave them a bunch of facts, which while correct, were utterly useless to them, at the same time, giving away his full identity (it's the same way if you told someone who lived his entire life in a desert that you were the lord of ice! It doesn't mean anything to them).

I have also begun dropping hints of another sort throughout the chapter, though I'm not revealing much. Yet.

Anyway, once more sorry for this long delay, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Read and Review please!


	8. Revelations : 6 17

**Author's Ramblings:** Okay, this is probably one of the last chapters before things go completely mad. I've decided to put in another 'job', as it were, for Naruto before they drop into Soul Society. How things will happen... well. You'll find out.

A fair warning though, you're about to see a far darker side of Naruto than you've seen so far.

For those curious, Ichigo hasn't noticed Isshin's visit to Urahara the day before... they simply passed each other by.

Also, I've noticed some concerns about Naruto's level of power... Now, Naruto isn't more powerful than characters like Yamamoto, Kenpachi and Aizen... however he's smart, and highly adaptive, not to mention that his has _absolute _control over his own power, and an insane knowledge of Fuinjutsu to fall back on(and his insane memory combined with prodigious talent in the area along with having one of the greatest seal users in his world as his teacher make him damn good). That alone makes him a viable threat to _anyone_. (Hey, if he could rip a piece of his soul to heal those of his mother and sister, what makes you think he can't do something like that to his enemies _on purpose? _Think about that)

To make things clear, I'm speaking about raw power, in the same way that there is raw strength.

Before I start, this chapter will be somewhat unusual in format, mostly because it's two short chapters combined into one larger

Well, this is about it. Enjoy.

* * *

_Chapter 8 : Revelations : 6/17_

_Part one : Calm Before the Storm_

_(10:00, Karakura Cemetery )_

The skies were clear, and it was a warm day. One would think that nothing could possibly go wrong.

Still, to the Kurosaki family, the day was from nice. It was the anniversary of the death of Masaki Kurosaki, the wife of Isshin, and mother of Ichigo, Yuzu and Karin. The day the heart was ripped out of the Kurosaki family.

_'Fate can be so cruel at times' _Ichigo quietly thought, unusually sullen and morose. He wondered so many times, but he still, even after five years he had no answers. Why did his mother have to die? Somewhere inside he knew _what _had killed her... there was little doubt, really, even if he didn't want to admit it, or even say it out loud. Was it because he didn't want to admit it? Or was it because he blamed himself for it all these years?

'_Perhaps a bit of both_' he idly thought as he looked at his two younger sisters, offering a smile to them.

Right behind them Isshin wasn't acting like his usual goofy self... he really wasn't in the mood, and he knew the kids would appreciate it. Besides, so would Masaki. He noticed just how troubled Ichigo was. His friends had been pulled into the same world he had entered, and the things that were going on were probably beyond his understanding. And yet, a kid merely two years his senior swam in the same waters like a veteran shark of many years, rather than a simple fish.

He seriously didn't want to encounter whatever it was that made him that way.

Still, there were other times for such thoughts. Even if he promised her a thousand times he wouldn't, a single tear slipped from his eyes, unnoticed by his family, at the thought that yet another year passed without the woman he would have gladly died for. A silent, mirthless laugh escaped his lips at the fact that she would have likely scolded him for thinking like that. She knew, he remembered, every secret he had, he had shared with her. Before they married, she knew that he would most likely outlive her, and their children. She didn't care. He had told her that he was a shinigami, that he was dead for a long time already. She didn't care. She loved him, and their family... and the one day she truly needed him, he wasn't there. And never would he let himself feel free of the blame for that. And he would not make a mistake like that again. Ever.

Silently resolved to talk to his children tomorrow, he followed them up the steep slope that lead to the cemetery, vaguely aware of the presence of a certain Kuchiki girl, watching over his son.

_(11:00, Naruto's Apartment)_

A lot of things could be said about Naruto, but being a naturally early riser wasn't among them. So when Urahara paid him a visit, he got the rather silly sight of a completely disheveled Naruto, who was still tentatively scratching the back of his head while blinking wearily at him. Sure, he could be up and fighting in less than a blink of the eye, but he, even with his claims of demonic origin, tended to be quite human, much to the shinigami's entertainment...

"What do you want?" Naruto grumbled as he let Urahara into his apartment, with him being currently dressed in nothing but the lower half of his black pajamas.

"Sorry for the early morning visit" Kisuke half sarcastically commented. He wasn't much better himself."But I was just informed of a.. gig shall we say, that might interest you as well as me."

That brought Naruto out of his sleepy state rather quickly. With practiced motions, he begun preparing coffee, eyes rarely used as he by now knew his apartment by heart.

"Well? I'm listening" he asked from the kitchen while Kisuke sat down "And hurry it up, since I'm already awake, I want to do some training, or I'll turn rusty"

"What is it with you people?" Kisuke muttered "Always in a hurry"

A few moments later, Naruto came out with two cups of coffee. He had gotten used to the strong beverage back home, and was more than glad to find out that they had it here as well. Kisuke took the cup gratefully... after all, he was a man of experience, and unlike many of the shinigami that came to the world of the living, he had already tried many, if not most of the pleasures this world had to offer.

"You make a good cup of coffee Naruto-kun" he commended

"My dear, late wife taught me how" he added, a bittersweet smile on his face as he sat down "Never did manage to make it as good as she did though"

Urahara offered a friendly, understanding chuckle at that, as he sipped more of his coffee.

"Tell me, how do you feel about your old job?" he asked in a serious tone

"Which one do you mean?"

"Shinobi. I occasionally take commissions from a few old friends. Things that can't be dealt with legally."

"You mean like removing someone who's beyond the reach of the law for instance?" Naruto answered in a completely calm voice, not in the least shaken by the innuendo. After all, he was the equivalent of a contract hitman for quite a while.

"Exactly like that. Take a look at this and tell me what you think" he said, pulling out a large file from his coat and passing it to Naruto. Before he took it though, his hand moved to the small control plate that managed the apartment seals, briefly pulsing chakra to trigger the privacy seals. Casually taking the file into his hands, his eyes rapidly moved over every piece of information, committing it to memory.

"Russian mafia?" Naruto asked curiously, both terms still foreign to him. He'd really have to raid a library one of these nights. Or start using that internet thing. Either would work for him. Still, the term was vaguely familiar to him, and he was pretty sure it described some sort of criminal from the context.

Urahara looked at him for a few seconds, before sighing quietly, and puling out a rolled up map of the world.

"Yes. Since you're still some what new to this, let me clear it up a bit. I assume your world had criminal cartels, yes?" short nod "The Russian mafia is something like that, though in reality the name covers a number of organizations that originate from the former Soviet states, this region here" he said, pointing at the area that was once the SSSR.

"This man, Alexei Vorgan was sent to make landfall, as it were, and establish a foothold for their drug and weapon smuggling operations. The police have their hands tied as they can't gather any proof on them, and every witness that turned up was silenced soon after. It's not really that big an issue to remove him, but..."

"If you did, the rest of his allies would retaliate against whomever killed him?" Naruto offered

"Not only that. They are brutally efficient Naruto, and their policy is to take out the entire family in retaliation for such acts, and that can at times include friends too." he explained "However, certain factors of the law enforcement have no intention of letting them gain a foothold here, and a friend of mine who's in charge of what you might call 'aggressive foreign relations' contacted me, and offered a sizable sum to handle the situation. Personally, money isn't much of a concern to me, but putting up more drugs and guns on the streets is. Every man should keep his back yard clean, no?"

"So? What do you intend for the two of us to do?" Naruto asked, the dangerous glint already present in his eyes. Even dressed so lightly, disheveled from sleep, he looked every bit the predator he was.

"What would you do?" Urahara asked, the hat and bangs covering most of his face, but still revealing just enough of that smirk and look in his eyes.

"That depends. The simplest thing would be to kill him, and leave no trace behind. Preferably by a long range weapon. The other good option would be to kill him, and make sure the blame falls on another convenient target, another criminal or criminal group. The third and final option would be to make their position as a group so untenable that they would leave. The first I know how to do, but I lack information for the second and third" Naruto finished his listing of possibilities to a rather impressed Kisuke Urahara.

"The second option is what I had in mind. Seeing as our soon-to-be dearly departed friend Aleksei made enemies with a group of... other criminals before he left his previous position in Hong Kong, I intend to frame them for the action."

"Interesting. How?" Naruto asked, only to be greeted by a rather sneaky look from Kisuke

"Oh, just leave that part to me." he stated rubbing his hands like a mad scientist off to take over the world. "I already have a location for him tonight, and if you can't get a clear shot at him, another one tomorrow morning. The only stipulations are that you can't use any weapons that would appear to be Japanese in origin. I'll give you more details later."

At this Naruto smiled, a dark, feral and downright murderous smile that seemed so much at odds with his personality.

"Who ever said I needed weapons to kill? I know more than a hundred ways to do so with my bare hands, let alone with tools. Unless he's a veteran killer, I might even be able to glare him to death" Naruto jokingly added the last part, though the statement was by no means a joke, and Kisuke was more that aware that the statement was far from senseless bragging.

"Right. Well, I'll come here to pick you up at say... eight?" Kisuke asked, getting up from his chair

"Fine by me"

"Good. Ah, and thanks for last night" he added thoughtfully

"Meh" Naruto waved him off as he left, a mild giggle hid behind his fan.

Well, if he had a job to... he'd best prepare. He was curious as to why Kisuke didn't ask Yoruichi to help, considering how close they were. Regardless he had a mission ahead of him. A small smile crossed his face as he sent a bit more chakra to keep the privacy seals operating.

While most of the impressive network of seals on his body was actually concealed by the countless

tattoos and scars on it. Gently tracing the path from one of the orientation points (he never allowed himself to memorize the exact position of many of the seals, relying instead on a number of clues, hints, and seal signatures to locate any particular seal on his body), he reach the storage seal he was looking for. As short pulse of chakra unsealed an inconspicuous looking cherry-wood box into his hand. There were many ways to kill someone, he knew that quite well...

With a calm, peaceful and completely happy face, Naruto opened the box, revealing a small brush and several bottles of ink '_I still treasure it, Iruka-sensei_' he thought, his mind racing back to one of his most precious people... one of those who didn't let him fall into the abyss of his own loneliness.

A part of him had died when Anko and his children died, a part more when he fond out that Iruka had as well. Jiraya understood well what he was doing, especially when he came out from his empty home one day, his entire body covered with seals. He had spent a month planning, plotting every possible advantage Madara could have, every possible escape route. He had created counters for every possible and impossible thing he could think off. By reverse-engineering the original Hiraishin arrays, he had created one that stopped Madara's ability to warp space and time. Radiance and the small bit of demonic chakra in his system killed of the Mangekyo Sharingan illusions, and he prepared over two dozen different tools, from his swords to various ninjutsu and array scrolls, to special weapons designed specifically for countering the energies of sealed bijuu. Hell, he'd even forged the Godslayer, a massive special alloy spear, carved with over a thousand different seals, made to channel enough power to kill Madara at his full power with one blow. Shame that it missed, but it did rip off the bastards arm and burn one of his eyes...

In short, Naruto wasn't the type to do anything unprepared, and that gave him a rather strong edge over his enemies.

"Now, let's see... chakra decapitation? Or a chakra lance through the heart? Decisions, decisions" he muttered as he crushed a small chakra crystal into a cup, combining it with ink to start drawing the amplifiers for his skills. After all, he couldn't afford to leave any evidence behind.

"Lance it is" he continued, as he drew the complex seal array on the back of his hand, putting no more effort into it than your average man would into writing his own signature.

"Control and surge amplifiers complete." he quietly stated, his mind not really there, far more focused on going over every single detail of the target's file. He had done things like this before, before he was pronounced the Sixth Hokage of Konoha. He still remembered that assassination run in Iwagakure... he idly wondered if they still looked to the mist with as much fear as they did back then. He sincerely hoped that he wouldn't have to pull another year-long undercover run.

_(11:00, Karakura Cemetery)_

Ichigo and his family weren't the only ones present at the cemetery. Rukia, concerned for his health as she was, followed him along with Kon, who was ever so delighted to follow, being the complete and utter pervert that he was. But as crazy as he was, he as also slightly concerned about Ichigo. Without his or Rukia's help, he couldn't access his Shinigami powers, and was as weak as a kitten against the various hollows... and he doubted the powers that be around Karakura would save him every time he got into trouble.

She was worried, and very much so. From what little he had told her yesterday, today was hardly a good day for the Kurosaki family, and she felt a lot of emotion in his voice that time, something that was exceedingly rare for the young substitute Shinigami, but he wouldn't tell her anything. The fool probably thought that whatever it was, it was his burden to bear, and she couldn't really blame him, as she was no better.

The past few days, as complicated, weird and dangerous as they were, were some of the most enjoyable ones of her life. '_A shinigami has no bonds to the living. As if_'she thought irritatedly. As days passed, she was beginning to doubt many things. Urahara was officially exiled, and stated as an 'enemy of the state', and yet her own captain told her he was her best option. Yoruichi and Tessai, whom she had only remembered after a while shared a similar position. And from what she could see, they were good people, and it seemed that the good captain Aizen was anything but. Then there was Ichigo, a boy over a century younger than her, whom made her feel _alive_ for the first time in her life. He infuriated her on an hourly basis, butted heads with her constantly acted like a complete bastard at times... and yet he was her friend, and probably the first one who ever made her open up. At all. She had agreed to keep quiet about the Hogyoku, but she realized that she would tell Ichigo sooner or later. And if her instincts were right, she wouldn't have much time left here anyway. She had after all broken one of Soul Society's laws, and after she'd recovered, she would likely face years in prison.

So, as quietly as she could, she continued watching over the orange haired brat, making sure that no hollow would have a chance to ruin the day for his family and him. With her powers slowly but surely returning, she was ready to bring hell to anyone that dared.

"Nee-san?" she heard Kon calling "What is Ichigo doing?"

She smiled slightly at the innocent and curious question. After all, mod souls were made with limited knowledge on anything outside of combat, so his curiosity was only natural

"He and his family are paying their respects to his dead mother" she quietly explained, and Kon nodded, not fully understanding, but grasping enough to know it was something solemn and important. He may not have knowledge, but Kon was hardly a fool.

Rukia found the dress she chose for the day remarkably comfortable, the wide-rimed hat covering her pale skin from the sun. For a moment she looked to the distance, to the far east apparently, noticing clouds. It would likely rain later. The irony of it was completely lost on her.

Not far away from her Ichigo knelt down in front of the humble grave of his mother, a slightly shaky hand setting in a stick of burning incense. He noted the clouds, but he really didn't have the will to even care. Cruel irony indeed... rain would fall, just like that day, five years ago. Why did she have to die? Why couldn't he do anything to help her? Why did he have to run after... no, he _had_ to do that. Even when he was that young, he had a number of things he believed in, and the simple lack of thought as he helped that girl... he didn't really have to think. But he had failed, and both the girl and his mother were gone soon after.

Karin and Yuzu had already left to the small shrine to set up lunch for the four of them, leaving Isshin and Ichigo alone. Ichigo looked up when he heard the slow intake of air next to him. His father always did it on this day, light a single cigar and smoke it here. He enjoyed the act immensely, not for a nicotine addiction, but for the fact that it reminded him of his wife.

"Still blame yourself for it?" Isshin asked kindly. There was not even a hint of anything but regret in his voice, as the older Kurosaki didn't even face his son.

"Yeah... I do. No less than you do dad" he responded, kneeling down on one knee in front of the grave, his left hand gently caressing the smooth stone.

"Well, it's obvious where the brains didn'tgo in the family" Isshin drily noted, referring to both himself and Ichigo, bringing out a chuckle from the boy.

"I think she would laugh if she saw us like this" he continued

"She would. Mom was... you know" he lamely finished, slowly getting up

"Quite" Isshin commented "Come on. Yuzu will get worried, and Karin will wail on us" he added, bringing out full blown laughter from both of them as they walked.

Both completely unaware of a pair of dark eyes watching them before retreating.

"_Not today it seems_" a creepy little girl muttered before disappearing, completely unseen by both the Kurosaki family and Rukia who was watching over them.

_Part two : Convergence_

_(22:30, Eastern Tokyo Waterfront)_

A soft click was covered by the sound of the falling rain as a figure clad in nothing but black crouched at the corner of the roof, carefully overlooking the apartment building across the street. He seemed like a gargoyle that decorated Gothic cathedrals, though with the noticeable lack of water coming out of his mouth

"_Status?"_

"All clear and prepping for phase one. Is the proof there?_"_

"_Twenty seconds from now. Good luck, I'll wait at the designated spot. Cutting all comms now."_

It had been a while, months even, since he had such a job. The familiar tenseness in his muscles, the heat in his body, the already starting rush of adrenaline at the danger that was sure to come... perhaps he could have once said otherwise, but for several years, he enjoyed these feelings, and the knowledge that the life he would take would ensure others didn't have to die was a bonus. He didn't consider himself some savior or any other such religious bullshit. In simple terms, eliminating one criminal at the right place and time bought time to those who wold have been harmed by him. Simple math.

No one would notice when his dark figure vanished from it's perch, reappearing a moment later on the roof of the building his target was in right now.

_'Beware security cameras and lasers. Guards are lightly armed, but don't underestimate them. And no raising alarms. Kisuke sure loves his easy jobs, eh? Still, it would be no fun otherwise.' _he mused as he found the window of a suitably empty apartment, opening it, and dropping silently inside the spacious bathroom. Ideal for hiding the wet marks from his entry. The lights were off, though he was slightly surprised that the window was upon until he felt the smell of burnt food '_Someone must have messed up while cooking, so the whole place got smoked_' he thought, relying on his Radiance to ensure a good flow of information about the whole floor.

It wasn't that hard, considering how well he trained himself, to take the image he received, and superimpose it on the map he had memorized, placing the exact positions of any object of importance where it was, and plotting his path.

_(22:30, Karakura Town, Kurosaki family home)_

Ichigo wasn't a heavy sleeper. And to add to the issue, he was worried about Rukia. It wasn't the first day she came here, but the day after, that she basically moved into his room closet. Considering how much of a mess things were, he certainly didn't ind having someone reliable nearby. He was still slightly distraught over the day, but it at least calmed down since they got back from the cemetery. He hadn't talked with Rukia, who looked just as worried as him. And now, for some reason, he felt that he should. Getting up quietly, he walked over to the small closet, knocking gently

"Hey, Rukia, you awake?" he asked in a low voice, careful not to wake her up if she was sleeping, nor to be heard by any of his family. He received no response from the closet-dweller. Slightly annoyed, he drew the doors open, slowly, only to find the place empty apart from the pajamas she had 'borrowed' from Yuzu, neatly folded on top of the blanket and pillow she had used. Next to them was a note.

"The hell...? What is she up to now?" he muttered taking it and trying, futilely to read the encrypted text. '_Figures_'

"Kon, wake up" he spoke, voice slightly louder this time. Nothing. Why did everyone have to be so slow"Kon!" he repeated, a bit more loudly

"Mhaamh... whadayawant?" came the half-snored response to his question.

"I think Rukia's in trouble" Ichigo responded, slightly impressed at the speed with which the plushy was at full capacity.

"WH..?" Kon tried to shout, only to be stopped by a hand over his mouth

"Quiet you idiot. I'm not sure yet, but she left while we were both asleep and left a codded message."

"Ahhh... and you can't decipher it for the life of you" Kon completed his statement in a sagely tone. The gravity of the situation hit him when he realized that Ichigo didn't respond.

"You know..." Kon muttered a few minutes later as the two of them helplessly tried to figure out just what the hell did Rukia try to draw as a hint"... I still haven't got a clue whether that is a raccoon or a monkey"

"Wasn't it a wolf?" Ichigo attempted, his own interpretation barely better than Kon's. "How bout we try all three, and see what gives a meaningful message?"

"Good idea" Kon responded, starting his attempt at deciphering.

Both were still somewhat sleepy, but tried their hardest, and finally after about twenty minutes (and discovering that it was actually a raccoon drawn there), they figured out what was written.

'_Picked up a minor disturbance while you were sleeping. Didn't want to wake you up. If you do feel something when you do, come investigate... I'll likely be around._

_Rukia_'

Kon was still looking at the deciphered message, his beady little eyes blinking in slight confusion as he felt himself get picked up.

"Ichigo what are you... oh, you need... right" Kon muttered as he felt the small pill that held his soul leave the plushy body, and moments after, enter Ichigo's own body while the original soul vacated it.

"Kon, keep a watch around house. If something goes wrong, get my family out, alright? I'll go after Rukia." Ichigo shortly ordered.

"Fine, fine you go on, leave poor ol' me to die of boredom here" Kon muttered with a scowl as Ichigo didn't even wait for a response. Seriously, that boy had some issues.

"Well, now that he's gone, where did I put those... ah!" Kon kept mumbling as he looked under the bed, pulling out his personal, difficultly smuggled stash of porn. Ichigo, of course, never looked there, much to his great joy. Still, the question remains, just how did Kon manage to acquire and smuggle a stash of porn in so quickly?

_(22:45, Eastern Tokyo Waterfront)_

_'Focus'_ Naruto mentally repeated. He had made a plan, a path through the floor without contact with the guards. They were skilled, yes, but they left several opening that a shinobi as skilled as he could easily exploit. The small apartment he was in was thankfully empty, the owners likely absent while the scent of smoke weakened at least slightly.

He had already cleared up any traces that someone had entered, applying just a small bit of fire chakra to dry off the floor and windowsill. Leaving traces behind was a bad thing, he knew that much, and Kisuke had insisted on the detail that he wasn't to leave as much as a hair behind... hence the black bodysuit that covered all of his skin. He had no intention of getting caught. Sure, he could easily finish the mission without being identified, but that would spoil the challenge... he wanted them to think that the target died without his aid.

He moved to the apartment door, locked as it was. It would be difficult to relock the door when he left, but he would think of something. Shunshin wasn't an option.. it was merely a high-speed motion technique, not a teleportation one, and he loathed revealing the Hiraishin more than he had to... but there weren't any options left. Mentally thanking Kyuubi for hardwiring eidetic memory into his brain, he concentrated a bit of his chakra outside the door, in a covered position, shaping it onto the array he needed. It was nowhere near as easy as he often fooled his enemies into thinking, but it was a very useful skill, one he was proud to have mastered.

Gently flaring his chakra, and letting it pull him for the split second it took to draw him to the spot before the chakra formed array decayed, he moved to the next phase of his plan. He might have made the mistake of using Jiraya's patented Peeping jutsu, _but, _he had noted one thing about the guards. These weren't simple street thugs, rather they were former military, with special training too, most likely. While said jutsu hid him from sight, and his suppression skills hid his chakra... there were other things that cold set them off, something he had learned from observing samurai. Scent, motion, light sounds... he would likely slip at least once while using it. However, more conventional means were still an option.

The long corridor that lead to the last apartment where his target currently was had two men paroling. There were a further two inside the apartment itself, and apart for Alexei, the floor was empty, all of the others being on the floor beneath.. There was just a short opening he could use.

Naruto channeled chakra to his legs and prepared himself

_Four...._

The far guard turned his eyes to the window outside

_Three...._

Naruto tensed all of his muscles, preparing to run. The other guard began to yawn, loudly.

_Two..._

The first guard began slowly moving his fingers to light his cigar, as the knob on the apartment door began moving

_One..._

The door slid open, revealing a third guard. The first one pulled out a pack of cigars.

_Zero..._

The opening showed itself. Releasing all the tension, and using wind chakra to cushion his passage, so as not to reveal anything to the men. It was a shame he could only do this in straight lines.

With a silent smile, he found himself inside the apartment. The fourth guard was taking a leak, and the third one closed the door behind him. The target was dozing off on the couch, having watched television. The sound of some sports match was still coming from the living room. He didn't pay much attention to the area around him, focusing on it's shape and any hindrances rather than decoration.

Carefully identifying the shortest escape route, a door that led to a small balcony, ideal for him, he moved in for the kill.

He prepared this, an ability he had copied of the Hyuuga clan of Konoha, turning his chakra into a veritable lance of energy that left no surface scaring on the flesh it hit, rather ripping apart capillaries and the Ki pathways. The amplifier array he had formed on his right arm served a simple purpose, ensure that the lance was strong enough to ensure a clean kill even if he only grazed the heart.

Channeling the energy to his right arm, he drew ever closer, a silent shadow in the night as he stalked his prey. Any moment now....

For just a moment, the eyes of Alexei opened, in the same moment as the hand landed on his chest, cutting straight through his heart.

There was no pained shout, no last moment defiance. The assassin had plied his trade, silent, unseen and lethal. There would also be next to no evidence, the death seeming like a simple heart attack that killed the man. Finally, Naruto closed the man's eyes, before he turned around. The guard in the bathroom was nearly finished and he only had mere seconds before he would be seen.

With speed forged through constant practice, Naruto moved to the glass door, quickly opening, slipping past, and closing them behind. A smile crossed his face... there were no cameras on the entire floor, he had scanned the entire area for them. Resisting the urge to laugh at a job well done, he took a running dive over the railing of the balcony, his fingers lightly grasping the air around him, letting him glide away into the night.

_(23:00, Karakura Town, home of Sado Yasutora)_

The home Chad lived in was a small, but comfortable place, consisting of a bed/living room, kitchen and bathroom. However, the teen that lived there was nowhere near as calm and relaxed as he would have liked to be

A loud crash echoed through the small apartment, as Chad's heavily bruised body flew straight through the window. He was glad he was on the ground floor, or the fall would have hurt far worse. He felt himself fall on the soft grass behind the small building he lived in, small pieces of glass biting into his back. That had nothing on the thing he saw before him though.

The frightful three-meter-tall figure composed of nothing but black with a large, white mask on it's face. And the hungry grin the Hollow sent him was enough to make his blood freeze over.

* * *

**Author's notes:** And cut.. There's the new chapter, blah, blah, blah (seriously, I'm to tired to give any crap)

Shortly put, I decided to show off some of Naruto's skills, give a little more background to events, and show one of the first, _major_ changes to the plot line.

This chapter also marks the decided end of the Revelations Arc, and the Soul Society one begins with the next chapter (no, that doesn't mean they'll enter Soul Society in the next chapter, just that the events that will very, very soon lead to that start there)

And I think that's it.

Oh, the abilities Naruto used during the 'mission' were as follows, wind chakra manipulation, fire chakra manipulation, Chakra Art, Hiraishin, Fuinjutsu, chakra manipulation. And that's it.

The aftermath will come in the next chapter.

Well, that's about it. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Read and review folks.

PS. I bet you weren't expecting the contents of the cyphered letter, no? :D

And to those interested, check what Revelation 6:17 is :P

I think the parallels that could be drawn are curious :P (no offense meant to any Christian believers meant there)


	9. The Deadline

**Author's Rambling:** Crap, this took forever to write... but it looks like my inspiration for this story is returning finally.

Well,m here come the real, big changes. I won't tell you anything except to read, and not to make too many assumptions.

Well, enough with the crap from my side. Enjoy the new chapter.

Oh yes, I remember someone asking me when I'm going to start changing the timeline.. Mwahahaha

* * *

_Chapter 9 : The Deadline_

_(23:00, Karakura Town)_

"_Come back here!"_ came the loud shout of the Hollow. Sado wasn't nearly foolish enough to agree with that. He didn't get much chance to see the shape of the creature before him until now. Unlike Ichigo, he had carefully listened to Kisuke's long-winded speech about hollows... and according to that, this was the garden variety.

Towering over his prone body at three meters, stood a creature better set against the backdrop of some surreal nightmare. The mask, a horrid, twisted shape that reminded of a cross between a lizard and a dead fish gaped at him with fangs that dripped in bile. The two heavily muscled arms covered in razor-sharp spines nervously twitched, likely at the thought of crushing him between the meaty fingers. The chest, where the large hollow hole was, was covered in small black scales. Truly a thing of nightmares.

Sado twisted and rolled away to avoid a blow that would have easily crushed his spine, before pushing himself off the ground and back onto his feet. He'd been in more than a few street fights as a kid, and even if he had given his promise... instincts died hard.

He raised his hands in a loos guard, turning to show a bare minimum of his body to the beast. Taking the blow was hardly an option this time, as this thing wasn't out for _just_ his blood.

"_The little morsel has some skills? All the better._" the Hollow spoke in amusement. True, Hollows were creatures of instincts, but any of them that survived for more than a few years learned to reign in at least a part of that instinct and use their intellect. _"I am going to enjoy my meal after all"_

Sado merely grunted in turn, now ready to fight. He wouldn't be caught off guard again. Quickly remembering the lessons from a few hours ago, he strained himself to feel his own spiritual energy, remembering that he was good for short bursts, perfect for landing strengthened punches. He didn't really know what the thing in front of him was made of, but he sure as hell wasn't going to go down without a fight.

The large _thing_ smirked, the mask twisting to reveal a row of teeth and a smaller mouth beneath, as it lunged forward. Sado dodged to the left, eyes widening when he noticed that the spines from the Hollow's arms had sprayed over the area where it had landed a blow, the long spines sticking out against the short grass. Sado took the opportunity to land a punch to the creature's neck.

One may say a lot of things about Sado Yasutora, but he wasn't a fool. True, he was mostly pacifistic by nature, preferring to avoid fights whenever possible, but this was hardly an option. He understood perfectly that this _thing_ was out for his blood and that of all those he knew. And he'd sooner be damned than let it get to them.

The hollow turned it's face towards him, eyes widening in growing shock as the teen's right fist glowed, right before it slammed into it's neck, piercing straight through and decapitating it, the pulse of energy continuing until it slashed into the concrete beneath.

Sado watched with no small amount of anxiety as the body and head of the hollow disintegrated, it's 'face' still frozen into a look of shock and growing horror as it turned into nothing. The hollow was dead.... and he was the one that killed it.

The growing wave of nausea and disgust was stopped by the sound of hands clapping. His head snapped towards the roof of the building opposite of him, only to spot the smiling figure of Naruto Uzumaki on it

"Nice moves, if I dare say so" Naruto jokingly stated, before jumping down"You need to work on the execution a bit, and the landings were a bit rough, but you have the right idea" he commented on, pointedly ignoring the look on the younger teen's face. He was aware though, and he knew that Sado was having issues coming to grip with the fact that he had taken a life, even that of a hollow. It wasn't the same as it was for him, the Hollow was a personification of hunger and instinct, hell-bent on destroying things he likely held close, sooner or later. At least he wasn't forced to kill a human being, yet.

"Naruto..."Chad started, voice growling with irritation, but stopped when Naruto raised his arm

"Look, I'm not here to spew bullshit about your fighting, you're smart enough to understand that. You're also smart enough to know that you had _no_ choice in killing the Hollow" he continued"It would seem that you and Ichigo have a different perception of things, especially killing and what it signifies. And I yet again, have another... so I might as well help you out a bit" he added, smirking as he walked off, leaving Chad with no choice but to follow.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rukia sighed tiredly, throwing a last, longing look a the small night cafe across the street. As much as she wanted some rest, it wasn't an option yet. Still, Rukia wasn't a little, inexperienced girl. At the tender young age of 127, she had nearly half a century of experience of living on the streets under her belt.

Her target, as it were, was a complete unknown to her... she had sensed _something_ when she had woken up earlier, and decided to investigate on an impulse, not really expecting it to be anything dangerous... she knew her reserves were still recovering, and that she wouldn't be able to manifest her Zanpakutō at all yet, so she would have woken the king of scowls to help her out if she thought she needed it.

Pulling the warm coat she had, er, borrowed, closer, she kept on walking down the street, intent on finding this annoying presence, and ensuring that it wasn't a threat.

The street around her was mostly empty, but she was still cautious, it would do her little good to be caught off guard in a vulnerable moment such as this, but it nevertheless gave her time to consider the events of the past days with more clarity. That was it, it was merely a few days had passed sine she had arrived here, but she was aware of how much things had changed, of how much change she herself had brought on.

Ichigo was the closest one to her mind now, followed closely by Naruto, her brother Byakuya and Renji. She had changed, if only slightly. A mere month ago, she wouldn't have had the courage to do half the things she now did without thought.

And yet again, she could only chuckle at how things turned out. Though anyone who knew her would have known that there was no joy in that laugh. This... false life, would soon come to an end, as soon as Soul Society decided she had stayed too long.

Letting out a tired sigh, she kept walking onward, now slowly turning towards Ichigo's home. It was far warmer and more comfortable than that apartment across from Naruto, even if the company was capable of a slightly more intelligent conversation...

She had come to a decision. What happened, happened, she would no longer worry about things beyond her control. For as long as it lasts, she was going to enjoy this 'life', with all it's perks and flaws. Even if it did include a few crazy characters.

With her decision made, her mind slowly relaxed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There are probably many images that those in the 'know' associate with Shinigami. Among those certainly wasn't the hasty entrance of one Renji Abarai who had just escaped from the Cleaners of the realm between worlds. The now-hunched figure, gasping for air, had only barely landed safely on the ground beneath. His appearance was a mess, and likely a shame for any lieutenant of the Court Guard... still, apart for weird sunglasses on his head, he seemed unconcerned about it.

He was a teen in appearance, of average height, and of lean build, a fine balance between a runner an a fighter. His long red hair was tied to the back in a pineapple-shaped tail, and said sunglasses were raised right over his forehead. Most of his body was covered, as usual by the traditional Shinigami uniform consisting of a black kimono, and the addition of a badge on his arm that served to identify him as a lieutenant.

"I just had to shoot my mouth off" he muttered, angry mostly at his own stupidity. After all, making an already _irritated_ Byakuya Kuchiki even _angrier_ was _never_ a good idea. Of course, he considered himself fortunate the he got away with _just_ an 'accidentally' forgotten Hell Butterfly to guide him to the lands of the living. Therefore, he had to bother with the Cleaners, and he could bet that he had let the information slip to captain Kurotsuchi who likely arranged such a perfect timing. After all, even if no one openly stated it, it was glaringly obvious that the both of them could be as petty, vindictive and downright nasty if they wanted... not to mention that they shared a perfect understanding on said subjects.

Finally catching his breath, he observed the area around him, content that he at least wasn't thrown somewhere unpleasant... that is, until he felt the various spikes. Easily a dozen of them, spread out throughout the area... and he had checked, there were no scheduled patrols tonight, and he was experienced enough to recognize the signs of extended battles that had lasted for a while now. So why wasn't a full detachment here to stop the attacks? Why hadn't there been any rush when he was leaving? It was almost as if... no, he didn't want to consider _that_ possibility. They couldn't and wouldn't have. _He_ wouldn't have let it happen. If there was one thing more certain than the sun rising in the east, it was the fact that Yamamoto Genryusai was a man of duty. He would _never_ allow such a thing to happen... which left him with a question with no visible answers, and a battle he'd best attend to. Sighing in annoyance, and idly thinking how that simply didn't suit someone as young as him, he jumped off in a seemingly random direction, one hand brandishing his sword as he prepared to attack the hollows.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A soft groan was the only indication that no, Yoruichi wasn't sleeping, much to her irritation. And it wasn't because she wasn't trying. The small bedroom that Kisuke always left ready for her was a complete mess since she went to sleep, an hour before Kisuke and Naruto went to handle that mobster. It reminded her of other things, other times... Other identities she had assumed over the century spent here.

The Onmitsukido were assassins, first and foremost, and both she and Urahara had kept their skills very sharp over the years. Even if neither of them showed it, both could still bypass almost any security measure employed by both living and shinigami, and knew numerous ways to disable or kill... Both facts were greatly downplayed to keep themselves alive.

The memories of her time within the Seireitei, and of her former standing were bittersweet at best. Those she had been forced to leave behind, those she herself felt she had betrayed... Thoughts she neither wanted nor needed now. The past was done and over with, and no amount of grieving would change it.

Gingerly getting up from the bed, she reminded herself that she was still naked. Sighing, she picked up a bathing robe, dressing herself lightly as she used her feet to pull out a pair of slippers from under her clothes, and walked out. A cup of tea or some milk would be welcome now. And cookies, even back then, Tessai made the finest cookies.

Gracefully striding into the small kitchen, she set a small kettle to boil water, grasping the proverbial cookie jar as she waited. A small smile settled on her sleepy face as she nibbled on the cookies like a little girl, patiently waiting for the water to boil.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Damn, just why couldn't I pick tonight to go out somewhere and get positively drunk?" Naruto muttered in irritation as memory after memory came flowing into his brain, the influx of information rapidly increasing his awareness of the events that took place.

Hollows were attacking... yet again. Somehow, he got the feeling that this wasn't the usual state of things, but he really didn't care for saving the world at the cost of himself. Once was enough, thank you very much, therefore he let the others fight the battles, intervening only when it was necessary. He was surprised, though, at Sado Yasutora's victory, even if his foe clearly underestimated him.

"Such a tiresome day...sigh... might as well go bug Kisuke or Yoruichi for a game of poker. Wonder if they have the game here" he mused, absently picking up his shirt from the bed, and throwing a small pebble to flick the light switch. He chuckled, realizing just how lazy he was growing, if he couldn't be bothered to walk over. Idly, he rechecked the seals on his palms, the two that held his two swords, ever ready to slice, dice, and generally cut the opposition to pieces. Not that he had found any that were worth it lately. That Puppeteer thing was the worst of them, and even then, it was a pushover.

That thought couldn't stop a laugh from coming.... maybe preparing for Madara really _had _put him in a whole new category...

"Hey, that means I can be as eccentric as I like!" he stated the realization, a wide grin coming over his face. Maybe the day won't be such a total waste after all...

The grin still present, he took the jacket he recently acquired, before walking out of his apartment, a finger sliding over the control plate to activate all of the wards as he did so.

One of the things he noticed about the shadow clones was that they rarely bothered to transfer subtle details such as the feel of the night air on the skin... likely because they were too focused on the information they were trying to give, but he would have appreciated it nonetheless. The air tonight was pleasantly chilly, and the variety of scents spoke of the coming summer, as well as the various places where one could get food in Karakura town. The glow of the street lamps gave just enough light to make finding your way easy, while still keeping the town quaint and sleepy, as it lacked the glare that downtown Tokyo had. In not so many words, it was a comfortable place to live.

There were still slight fracture marks on the pavement in front of the apartment from the last few nights.'..._an irritating reminder of the constant attacks_', he though, but decided against scowling. Ichigo did that well enough for two. And he still had a potential poker night to look forward to.

Of course, Fate was not nearly as merciful as one might hope, he realized, as he saw a distinct _something _in the shape of a traditional Japanese sliding door appearing in the sky above, it quickly opening and closing, depositing a figure dressed in white and black.

"You really hate me, do you?" Naruto grunted, looking towards the heavens. He could have sworn he heard a 'Yes', carried by the wind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From far above, Kuchiki Byakuya sensed a distinct presence above that of the numerous hollows that were present. Unlike the seeming void that hollows or Quincy presented, or the pulsing forms of the Shinigami, this one was... simply there, a massive sphere of _something_ with an indeterminable point of origin. A part of him wondered if it was the same thing captain Kurotsuchi's sensors picked up earlier that day.

Unlike the rank and file bellow him, the decorated Captain was far more skilled in the arts of detection, and while said presence didn't posses wasn't there spiritually, it was still something. He could have sworn he had seen a mop of spiky blond hair walking among the streets beneath him, but he dismissed it as inconsequential. No ordinary human could have created a feeling so odd just by being there. If he only knew how right and wrong at the same time he was...

In the distance, he felt the presence of his lieutenant, Renji Abarai, and after wasting a single moment trying to determine what had disturbed him, he moved on, silent as ever. It wasn't that Renji needed help, it was the fact that he needed to know what Renji did.

It stung his vaunted pride, the fact that it wasn't the Shinigami who held the order, rather, that a bunch of mortals were doing it for them. He would gladly say that it was the Shinigami's duty to rid the world of the living of the Hollows, but just because he was a noble, didn't mean that he was also a hypocrite. It was their failing that they even had to be aware and defend themselves, their failing that there wasn't any cover here tonight, and even a few nights ago, when the gates were locked. If he didn't know better, he'd assume someone was manipulating things to remove someone from the world of the living. '_It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened', _he reminded himself, momentarily leaving the high-speed motion of Shunpo to look at the surrounding area. As usual, there were only minimal signs of any occurrences, the faint residue of hollow reiryoku, and the scent of iron, that of shed blood. A battle, or more, had taken place recently, but the victims and survivors were nowhere to be found, as usual.

He wasn't overly surprised when he spotted Renji easily defeating another hollow, it's body quickly breaking down after being decapitated.

"Captain!" Renji quickly saluted his immediate superior.

"What's the situation here lieutenant Abarai?" Byakuya formally returned. It would be a cold day in hell before one would catch him being informal with anyone.

"A bunch of hollows attacking captain, but it's strange..." Renji trailed off

"...like they picked this night _knowing_ that no one would be here" Byakuya finished for him, with Renji quickly nodding in agreement. "Any traces of Rukia?"

"Nah. No luck on that captain, I didn't have the time" the red-haired youth replied.

"Very well. Let us go find her." what went unsaid was the real reason for Byakuya's concern right now, as a number of scenarios were running through his head, each one more troubling than the last. If there was such a mess out here, there was a distinct chance that his adopted sister didn't have a choice in staying here. Communications between the worlds were spotty at the best of times, and with Hollows roaming around, she might not have been able to do anything.

Funny how harsh irony could be... if it wasn't those close to him being pressed by his superiors it was okay... but if his own family was pressed for crimes that they did not commit. How hypocritical of him, he realized.

Batting away the weary sigh that he had almost released, Kuchiki Byakuya returned to his duties, regal as ever, his cold eyes portraying not a bit of the turmoil he felt inside.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If he wasn't as tired as he was, he'd laugh at this, and call it a good joke.

However, with Uryuu Ishida guarding his back against a total of five rather dangerous hollows, it wasn't exactly a normal situation.

"Just how did we end up in this shit?" Ichigo growled, wondering how a shouting match between the two ended up like this

"Damn me if I know, Kurosaki. But the Hollows aren't giving us much choice. We'll continue our discussion later" Ishida spoke in his usual calm and collected tone. Even under stress, the young man had excellent control over his emotions.

"There's nothing to discuss you idiot." Ichigo growled, noticing that the hollows were preparing to attack. He also noticed that he had managed to piss off Ishida. All the better. "You have problems with your head if you think I'm supposed to be your enemy for something I haven't the faintest about. Now shut up already and let's get rid of these things" he muttered, getting ready.

Uryuu Ishida was peeved. Yes peeved, that was just the word in his mind. This was not how the day was supposed to go. First, his irritating father went somewhere during the day, leaving him once more alone to his studies of arts both martial and scholarly. Then, when he goes out for an evening walk, he runs into Ichigo, in his Shinigami form. Not that he didn't know, Ichigo Kurosaki was often as subtle as a full nuclear blast on open plains. And he just had to let out that snide remark on his lack of skills. Ichigo was always brash and proud, and such an jibe at him was immediately rewarded by a less than flattering remark about his choice of clothes.

Still, when they both realized that they were surrounded by hollows, all discussion stopped. Survival came first, and the Hollows were lately more powerful than those that usually came. Until recently, he fervently believed he could handle whatever the world threw at him, but these last few days had opened his eyes, and shown him just how blind he was. There was no damn contest, but a protracted battle for survival that would only leave those fittest to live. And Ichigo had already proven himself to be 'fit', just as he had. And it was something that he would respect, even if the orange-haired teen behind him was as irritating as possible

"Just don't get killed Kurosaki. I don't think Orihime could handle it" he whispered, purposefully ignoring the surprised look on Ichigo's face. It was a silly thing really, who didn't know that Orihime had the biggest crush on Ichigo? And while he himself didn't socialize much, Orihime was a kind person, one of the few he actually liked. It would have been a shame to see her hurt for one man's stupidity and denseness.

There was no more time for banter though, as the Hollows descended upon them. With a confident smirk, Ishida released a hail of arrows, immediately obliterating the one closest to him, while Ichigo sprung into the air, decapitating another, while slashing through a second and third on the spin-back, giving Ishida enough time to finish of the last one.

"Three to two, Ishida. Looks like I beat ya." Kurosaki prodded, curious at the fact that both he and Uryuu were not even slightly tired from the fight, but nevertheless, enjoying to irritate the fancy dresser. He had to admit though, for a guy who looked silly half the time, Uryuu Ishida wasn't nearly as frail or helpless as he appeared. Hell, those toothpick-thin arms of his seemed to have some wiry muscle on them as well. Not to mention the crazy-ass energy bow.

"Three and four" Ishida calmly counted off as two arrows flew right behind Ichigo, hitting two hollows that were sneaking up on him straight in their masks. "You were saying?" he snidely returned, a look of satisfaction at putting Ichigo in his place on his features. Said teen merely growled, as the two of them walked off in search of more hollows, unaware of yet another clone standing watch over them finally dropping his guard.

The two of them kept running forward, unaware that two other groups were doing the same. Sado, as well as the Naruto-clone with him, who were going towards Urahara's shop from one direction, and Renji and Byakuya from the other, while Rukia herself was approaching from the third. Not that anyone apart from Naruto was aware of that.

"Sado, something's about to happen." the clone quietly stated to his companion "I can't afford to be seen by some of those who will be present."

Sado merely raised a curious eyebrow at that.

"Who is it?" he shortly asked

"Other Shinigami." was his answer"I don't recognize them, and I'm quite sure that we'd all be better off if they didn't know I was here. You should be just fine, though."

"Alright. I'll go then. But what are you going to do?" Sado asked, taking the first few steps forward.

"Me? I'm just a clone. I'll go 'poof'. And Sado, we'll talk later" Naruto explained and did so, startling Sado slightly as a cloud of smoke surrounded the place where Naruto was just a few moments ago. Well, not like Naruto wasn't known for doing weird stuff. Dusting himself off once more, he broke into a run, going in the direction that Naruto pointed out. There was safety in numbers.

The maze that were the small streets of Karakura quickly guided him to a slightly larger intersection, one near a small park. This was likely the place, he thought as he stopped, noticing the distant figures belonging to Ichigo and Uryuu.

"Chad!" Ichigo shouted at him, while Uryuu merely shook his head at his loud companion.

"Ichigo, Ishida. What happened? Were you attacked as well?" he asked, not even slightly winded from his long run

"Yeah, a bunch of hollows came out of nowhere and swarmed us. Don't tell me you were attacked as well?" Uryuu shortly explained, while Ichigo kept his eyes about, as if expecting someone to come out. And he certainly wasn't disappointed as a small figure crashed into him, falling from the raised park nearby.

"Rukia, could you please give some warning when you decide to crash on me?" Ichigo muttered from his place on the floor, Rukia currently sprawled atop him. Surprisingly, he wasn't in the least disturbed that a girl crashed atop him, in a position that might be considered intimate by some. More likely, he didn't give a damn as he was too pissed off by the day's events. He also pointedly ignored the barely heard snicker coming from Ishida. All jokes stopped when a the sound of a loud cough came from the side.

Sado was the only one not surprised at the event, as he had been warned ahead of time, but Ichigo, Ishida and Rukia were. Enough so, that only Rukia managed to mouth something.

"Nii-sama, Renji" she whispered as she locked gazes with the man that was her adoptive brother.

"Hello Rukia." he greeted formally, while on his side, Renji remained conspicuously silent. The air had become chilly, as all of them stood still, and the growing tension kept them all nervous.

"Ehm, who exactly are you?" Ichigo tried, helping Rukia get up from her spot on the ground. Byakuya turned a cold, calculative gaze at him, one that seemingly bore into his very soul.

"I am Kuchiki Byakuya, Captain of the Sixth Division of the Thirteen Court Guards of Soul Society." he spoke in a formal, if a bit condescending tone. "And who are you?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo." the orange haired teen responded. Byakuya took stock of the young man's answer, and turned towards his sister

"I see. And just what are you doing here Rukia? Why haven't you returned to Soul Society?" he asked in his most authoritative voice. Under normal circumstances, Byakuya Kuchiki was not a man to be trifled with. During times of war, he could be ruthless, harsh, emotionless to his foes. But family... that was the one subject that always pulled at his heartstrings, not that he'd let anyone know.

To his surprise, however, Rukia _glared_ at him. He had seen that glare pointed at many people, but never at him, and it told him one simple thing: she was angry at _him._ And even he knew that angry women were something to steer clear of. One only had to remember the name Shihoin Yoruichi. Still, he was a man of dignity and pride, no petulant glare would force him to cow.

"I haven't returned because I had to give my powers to a mortal human." she started off sweetly "Because the damned patrols were nowhere during a damned hollow attack with over three dozen creatures. And attacks kept coming, while no reinforcements or as much as a peep from Soul Society came. What the hell were you people doing?" she finished, nearly screaming at him. She panted, having ran out of breath, while her face slowly shifted from rage to simple worry as she realized that her older brother had no idea what had happened. She had gotten decent at reading his expressions (or lack thereof) over the years, and surprise was one of the few she managed to recognize with some certainty.

Now that tidbit of information left Byakuya shocked. There had been no reports of any hollow attacks for the past few days, and apart for that wave of reiatsu and the sighting of a single, Adjuchas level hollow that seemed to have be there for a while now, things had apparently been calm. And curiously, there had been no attempts at communication from the world of the living. There were a few patrols that were scheduled to report in, but hell butterflies delivered said reports in their stead. Something was terribly wrong, and he had no idea what, but as the information slowly trickled in, he couldn't help but worry.

"How long do you need to recover?" he asked in a far quieter voice, the first signs of true concern visible on his face, even to Ichigo.

"I...I should be fine in about five days or so." Rukia responded, slightly put of by the show of concern.

"Lieutenant Abarai!" he called, making Renji snap at attention "You will remain here to watch over the unusual levels of hollow activity during the past week. Your stay here will last exactly one week, after that you are to return and report your findings either to me or captain Ukitake." Byakuya ordered, before turning to Rukia. '_Please understand that I can't give you more time_' he thought, hoping that the worried, caring look he gave her would convey his thoughts. This truly was the best he could do for her. After seeing her nod, he fought back the smile that almost came out. The image had to be maintained, unfortunately. Before leaving though, he had one last thing to do. He put a hand, gently, on Ichigo's shoulder, momentarily turning him away from the others.

"Kurosaki-san," he spoke in a hushed tone "from what I see you have some relation to my sister. If as much as a hair is out of place when she returns..." he trailed off, putting out an ever so slight amount of spiritual pressure. Unfortunately, being in the world of the living, meant that he didn't have his fierce reputation, so he would rely on diplomacy to make sure. Once more, to his surprise, Ichigo merely smiled before he whispered, conspiratorially.

"I'll watch over her" he said.

Now, Byakuya Kuchiki was a man for formality, and things such as addressing people as proper, but right now, such a thing wasn't an option, and he understood as much. It would be even more rude of him to demand respect from a mortal than the fact that Ichigo Kurosaki treated him here as practically an equal. For once, for the sake of his sister, he would let it go. It wasn't like he would see the mortal again. The powers Rukia had given him would fade over the next few days anyway.

"Remember, seven days" he calmly stated before he turned away, vanishing into Shunpo, and leaving behind a very confused crowd, and a very interested clone overseeing them all.

* * *

**Author's notes:** So, a few things you didn't expect probably happened. I've been having one long, continuous headache with this chapter and trying to finish it, but it's finally done, and to be honest, I'm not overly pleased with how it came out in the end. But after roughly twenty redraws of said chapter, that's about as much as I can go without breaking... and roughly half the chapter came out today, with a new burst of inspiration leading me.

In all honesty, I'm trying as hard as hell not to rush straight to the Soul Society arc, as the majority of the crazy ideas I head were meant for that part of the story, and well, people are waiting for it.

Now, for some details. The reason why Yoruichi, Naruto and Tessai aren't doing anything is because they don't have to. As long as there's someone to hold the fort, they'll keep a low profile. And no, I'm not saying where Kisuke is... yet.

Also, I wanted to give Ichigo and Uryuu a slightly different perspective of each other, and while they will still be at each others throats half the time, they will have a modicum of respect behind it. Also, a few details about Byakuya as well. From what I gather, he cares about his adoptive sister quite a bit, even if he doesn't go around showing it, and I believe that if he was fully aware of the circumstances of what happened, he would have reacted differently in cannon, hence a drastically different reaction here. Keep in mind that this man is the head of a noble family who has lived for over a century. He's a politician by default, so finding loopholes in orders or laws is no issue to him. It's merely a mater of preference. However, he can be very stubborn when it's a matter of pride.

And for those who are wondering just what the hell is going on, and why Soul Society isn't reacting to _daily _hollow attacks, well, that will be answered later on. I have a reason for what I'm doing.

It will be another week in the story before the Soul Society arc begins.

Yah, well, enough with the bs from me. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Read and Review folks. And expect entertaining things to happen next chapter.


End file.
